After Seven Years
by leavenodoubt
Summary: Hyrule is at war and Link is forced to enlist, leaving behind the girl he loves but is forbidden to be with. Almost everything stands in the way of their relationship, but he's never been one to give up. Rated T for implications and minor violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello. So this is just a little side project I did to my novel one night and will probably get back to sooner or later being a huge Zelda dork. Yes I know it's very rushed and that sometimes I'm in the zelda world, incorrect. I know I say wolf instead of wolfos, live with it. I know if randomly switches perspectives, I was lazy. It is by no means supposed to be read for professional critique. It's just for fun. That being said, enjoy :)**

Waking up used to be something I detested. It meant that there was still chores to be done, a full day ahead of me, work.

Now waking is my form of relief.

It means the dreams have stopped, that they're not real. It means I can go on without having to suffer through their impenetrable shield of bad memories, the onslaught of regrets. Though it also means I have to go through another day pretending that they didn't happen. Everything on my body hurts, despite the last battle being weeks ago, I can still feel the sting of every blow, the ache of every hit. It makes me slow, something that I hate being more than anything.

I pull on my clothes, carefully letting the fabric slide over my body without chaffing my raw skin, and head out the door of my small living quarters. I decided that going back to the forest was impossible, having outgrown every child that I once called best friends, and took a job at the ranch, despite constant nagging of the council to have me be a captain. It's too hard, and I can't look at her.

I cross the small gravel road from the barn to the house where Talon and his daughter eat breakfast. They always set a spot for me, though most of the time it takes me through breakfast to pull myself out of bed. The house smells like maple syrup, the work of Malon no doubt, and I find at the table a pot of maple porridge, Malon and Talon eating from their bowls with sudden silence.

"Good morning," I say as I take my spot at the table.

"Mornin'," Talon says gruffly, not making eye contact with me.

Malon peeks up at me from her bowl, the same curious but reserved expression she always studies me with. I know it's because I'm different than when we first met. I'm not the silly child that once liked to play games with her around the ranch. Things have changed, and I've changed. We eat in silence like we usually do, until suddenly Talon clears his throat.

"Link, a letter came for you today," he says solemnly.

"A letter?" I ask, trying not to get my hopes up.

He nods and pulls the folded envelope out of his front pocket and slides it across the table to me. I look at it for a brief moment and swallow as I recognize the royal seal. With shaking hands I open it and pull out the piece of paper inside, unfolding it and reading it in silence. I feel a hard lump form at the base of my throat, just above my heart as the words unfold.

"What's it say?" Malon asks timidly.

I blink a couple of times as the reality of my situation washes over me. I shake my head and stare at the words though they make no more sense than when I first read them. "I have to – I...it's-"

But I can't say anything, I simply stand and leave, the piece of paper still on the table so they're free to read it whenever they want.

I hear the door open and then click shut as Malon wanders over to me in the corner, burying my face in my arms. She sits beside me and leans her head on my shoulder, sniffling softly. "Are you gonna go?" she asks softly.

"I have to," I murmur.

I lift my head slowly and look into her eyes, red and filled to the brim with tears. She bursts into a sob as she reaches for my face and before I even can think of a reason to object, she presses her lips to mine. I give in, letting her kiss me for as long as she deems necessary, it could be the last time we ever get to be this close.

"I'm sorry," she whispers when she finally pulls back.

"Malon-" I mutter, a lump in my throat.

"No, I know you don't feel that way about me," she says, "I've seen the way you look at her."

"It's not possible for me to be with her," I say quietly, "especially now."

"If everything goes well...will you come back here?" She asks, intertwining her fingers with mine.

"Mal..." I start, about to tell her that the chances of things going well are slim, instead I look into her big green eyes and smile, "of course I will."

"When must you leave?" She asks.

"Tomorrow morning," I reply.

"You'll take Epona with you, won't you?" She insists.

I nod, "I'll take her if that's what you want."

"I do, she'll keep you safe."

"I'll miss you Mal," I say gently.

"I love you," she says.

I'm caught off guard, she knows I don't feel the same so I don't know how to respond. Instead I sit silently, nodding because as horrible as it is, I wish she was someone else.

"You know how much I wish it was enough," she mutters under her breath.

I nod, "I'll think of you when I'm out there."

"And I'll pray for you," she says.

"Pray hard."

* * *

The castle town is in a frenzy, all of the shops closed down to the average person in preparation. Many supplies will be needed, so the whole country is banding together to make sure that there's enough. I follow the other boys about my age, some on horseback like me, towards the castle where we are to gather. The King and the Princess will be addressing us before training, this is the part I'm anticipating with the most anxiety.

They sit up on a balcony, above the five hundred or so of us below. The King welcomes us all with a bellowing voice, silencing everyone that murmured in fear.

"Young men of Hyrule! You are gathered here in preparation for a war far greater than anything we have encountered in the past. The northern countries have waged war on us and our only opportunity to reclaim what is ours is to fight back. You will be the legends of which people speak in the future, because you men are those that will represent Hyrule in it's most dire need. This is the time when you will need to summon all of your courage, because this is the time that death is on our very doorstep. Be prepared young Hylians, this is the day you look into the face of death and conquer it! This is the day you prepare to meet it on the battlefield!"

Many of the young men applaud, but mostly, worried glances echo back and forth in the courtyard. I don't even pay attention to what the King says, my eyes are on the Princess, who has strategically found interest in a bird off in the distance. He continues on about when training will occur, and rambles off a list of names and where they are to report to. I'm called to archery, a place I feel comfortable.

I tie Epona up in the stables and head there on foot, trying to blend in though constant whispers of my name follow me. Most of them mutter my name with excitement, thinking that because I saved Hyrule once, I can do it again. I'm a block or two from the archery arena when suddenly someone tugs on my arm, and I'm pulled into a side alley that is dark and hidden away from the business on the streets.

The cloaked figure sweeps me back far enough that we're out of view of anyone lingering on the streets and removes her hood, silvery blonde hair spilling out. I lay one glance on her and the next second she's in my arms, her lips crushed against mine. Her hands hold my face firmly against hers as I push her body into the wall, the minimal distance between us too much.

"Zelda," I murmur, moving my lips to her neck and picking her up off her feet.

"Oh, Link," she says, emotion coloring her voice, "Where have you been?"

I pull back and look into her deep blue eyes, "I couldn't come back here Zelda, you know that."

"Why? If it's my father-"

"He hates me Zelda, despite what I did for this country he'll kill me if he finds us together. I'm nothing, remember?" I say in a hushed voice.

"I don't care, Link. He made a promise to you that for your service you wouldn't have to fight, so what are you doing here?" she asks.

"I got a letter, he's making me go back," I say quietly, brushing her hair back out of her face.

"You'll die," she says, choking on her words as a tear spills over her eyelid.

"I know," I say.

"So run away with me, we can get out of here, I don't care what it does to my reputation, I don't care what it does to his. If you die, Link..." she splutters.

"We can't run," I say.

"I love you too much Link," she says, "I waited for you for seven years, and even after that, we can't be together? You saved this country from it's biggest threat, from the embodiment of evil, you shouldn't have to go and be killed by men."

"I don't have another choice," I say.

"When do you head out?" She asks.

"Three weeks."

She pauses, her eyebrows furrowing together, "Three weeks? That's it?"

I nod as she bursts into tears, hiding her face in her hands. She knows that it's a death sentence, that I won't come back alive. "I have to go. I'm going to be late," I whisper.

She puts her hands on my neck and kisses me again once more, gently, then wraps her arms around my neck, hugging me close to her. I wind my arms around her waist, and though this position feels so familiar, it feels wrong because it's forbidden.

"I love you," she says as tears stream down her face.

"I love you too," I say, pressing my forehead to hers.

"Go, but meet me tonight by the fountain in the gardens. We'll talk there," she says.

I let go of her and head out the other way, jogging until I reach the arena. There's about fifty other young men here, each with a weathered bow in their hands. One or two carry new, expensive bows, but most of the boys here are commoners, not wealthy enough for one as extravagant as those. Most of them have absolutely no experience with a bow.

"Hey, you're Link right?" A man, probably a year or two older than me asks.

For a moment I consider lying but decide it's worthless. "Yes," I say curtly.

"You're not as big as one would think for defeating Ganondorf," he says looking down at me, one eyebrow cocked.

"Well, you know what they say, the bigger they are, the harder they fall," I say looking down at my bow.

He glances down at me, a dirty look on his face when suddenly something behind him catches his attention, "Oh wait...is that the Princess?"

I glance up and see Zelda, the cloak she wore earlier slung over her arm as she walks briskly towards the castle.

My heart lurches and I want so bad to follow her but I hold my ground, "You know, if I make it back alive, maybe she'll consider me. What do you think about her and a guy like me?"

My lips are still slightly swollen from my encounter with her this morning and I want to make a clever retort at him, but instead I say, "You'll have to make it back alive first. Then we'll talk."

"I wouldn't be so worried about me, as yourself," he scoffs, "have you even ever used a bow before?"

I roll my eyes and spot a flag on top of one of the castles spires. I load my bow in a blink and shoot, the arrow whinging through the air and sticking itself in the flag's shaft.

The man beside me stands gaping. "G-good eye," he mutters.

"Who knows, maybe it was a lucky shot," I say, shielding my eyes from the sun with my hand.

"Good thing the Princess doesn't make her choice based on a shooting contest. I mean, let's be honest, I have one up on you in the looks department," he says smugly.

"Yeah, and it's a lucky one for you she doesn't make her final choice based on intelligence," I say and give him a reassuring thump on the back and walk away before he can comprehend the insult I've just given him.

* * *

Most of the guys look pretty beat up by the time the day is over and we're to pack in for the day. Most of us who don't live in the town stay in servant boarding rooms in the castle, I stay with a boy probably sixteen years old named Skylar. He looks young, and inexperienced, and most of all scared. I want to make him feel better, but I don't want to give him false hope because I know this situation is hopeless for every single one of us. I unpack the few belongings I brought along when the questions start.

"Are you Link as in the one that destroyed Ganondorf?" He asks quietly from his bed.

I sigh and sit on my bed so I face him, "Yes."

"Well, there's no way you'll die then. That's lucky for you," he says.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that...things are different in war," I reply.

"But you defeated Ganon! I mean, that's so cool..." Skylar muses.

"It wasn't as cool as everyone made it sound. I wish all the time that it never had to happen," I say, analyzing my boots.

"But you're famous, you could have any girl you want, you could have the Princess! You could be living like a king, and you wish that none of that was possible?" He asks incredulously.

"Yes, I wish that."

"You wish that it was someone else?" he asks with utter confusion in his eyes.

"Everyday," I answer quietly.

"Why?" He asks.

"Skylar...I saw a lot of things out there that I wish I had never seen. I remember just being on the brink of death and having to absolutely mutilate creatures to survive. I saw a lot of people die when I wasn't fast enough, and I wish that my instincts weren't to kill every time something shows any bit of aggression. I was a kid when this started. A kid when I killed for the first time. You're sixteen, and this will be the first time you have to go through this. I was ten years old. Ten," I conclude.

Skylar swallows, letting my words sink in.

"I have to go wash up...I'll be back in a bit," I say, leaving the room and heading down to the gardens.

* * *

"I thought you weren't going to come," she says when I round the bend to find her sitting on the edge of the fountain.

"Why wouldn't I?" I ask as she stands up and is gathered up in my arms.

"You had a long day, you must be exhausted," she murmurs, her face resting against my chest.

"I'm fine..." I trail off.

"Something's bothering you, something that wasn't there before," Zelda says, pulling back and looking up at me, "tell me."

"They're children Zelda," I say though it barely makes it out of my mouth, angry tears gathering in my eyes.

"They're not much younger than you," she points out.

"But they are, in so many ways. Some of them are fourteen years old. Most of them have never left their home towns," I object.

She hesitates, "I know."

"Then why? Why haven't you talked to your Father about this, this war is going to solve nothing. Can't you reason with him?" I ask desperately.

"I obviously can't Link, I tried reasoning with him when you asked me to marry you," she says quietly, frustration knitting her eyebrows together.

And we both know how that turned out. He'd told Zelda that I wasn't a worthy holder of the crown, that I knew nothing of rule and consequence. I'd saved the world once but that accounted to nothing in the grand scheme of things. I knew nothing, and love wasn't a viable reason to take the crown.

"How am I supposed to do this?" I ask quietly, gently rubbing circles on her back.

"I don't know, darling...I don't know."

"How am I supposed to lead these kids into battle when I have absolutely no confidence that a single one of us will survive?" I muse into her hair.

"You'll do it because every one of them looks up to you. They trust you," she reassures me.

"That's the problem."

She pulls back and places her hands on my face, "I love you and I'll be watching out for you. I'll pray for mercy every night until you come home safely. And when you do, my Father will be prepared to let you in and we'll get married and have seven babies and you'll hold me as we watch our kingdom grow. And we'll love each other even after the day we die."

"Seven babies? That's how many you want?" I ask, smiling down at her.

"One for every year I had to wait for you to come back to me," she says quietly.

"If that's what you want. I'll come back for you."

She closes the distance between are lips and kisses me slowly, holding onto my bottom lip with her teeth. Her hands grasp my hair, pulling me even closer. She sighs as I squeeze her close to me when suddenly a voice echos behind us, "What are you doing here?"

I look up and see a guard standing at attention, eying us suspiciously.

For a moment I'm at a loss for words, how do I just explain that I was making out with the Princess and get away with it?

"You and your lady here must move along, this is private property," the guard says strictly. My eyes widen in shock, in the night he doesn't recognize me or Zelda.

"Of course, our apologies, come along...Amelia," I say taking Zelda by the hand and towing her out of the garden.

She giggles as if she's intoxicated, "After you Robert."

We jog until we're out of sight of the guard, laughing silently to ourselves and for a moment it's just like back when we were kids. Sneaking around the gardens while trying to avoid the guards. Trying to be quiet while killing ourselves laughing. And then being reprimanded by Impa when we got caught.

If only it could still be that way.

* * *

"I wish you could stay here," Zelda whispers.

I stroke her bare arm and kiss her again, "I know sweetheart, I know."

She lays her head back on her pillow and closes her eyes, a slight smile playing at the corners of her lips. "I can't believe you had to climb up the wall to get in here."

I laugh quietly, "I know, it's kind of like Romeo and Juliet, isn't it?"

She nods solemnly, the smile gone from her face, "I can't believe you have to go tomorrow."

"I wish I could lay here beside you for the next fifteen years," I say laying a hand on the side of her face.

She lifts her face up and lays it on my chest, "I wish I could lay here next to you for the rest of my life.

I run my fingers through her tangled hair and think that tonight will be the last night in two years that I'll see her. A tear gathers in my eye and runs down my temple. I suck in a sharp breath, making her head bob so she looks up at me with concern. "Oh, baby, don't cry," she murmurs though tears form in her eyes.

"I love you so much," I say wrapping my arms around her.

She rolls on top of me, kissing me as she says, "I love you more."

She kisses me more passionately now though I hear muttering out in the hallway, something Zelda doesn't hear. I barely have time to tell her to listen when her door is flung open and in the doorway is her Father.

"Zelda!" he shouts with a booming voice.

She rolls off of me and clutches the sheets to her, shock and embarrassment on her face, "Father?"

"Get out now!" He screams at me.

I hold up my arms in surrender and reach for my clothes, pulling my tunic over my head as quickly as I can. I pull on the rest of my clothes as he stands in the doorway fuming, Zelda still in her bed holding her head in her hand.

"Out!" He shouts again, yanking my collar and shoving me through the doors.

"Sir, I'm so sorry-" I try to say.

"Shut up," he says abruptly. "Put your clothes on," he says menacingly to Zelda before slamming the door shut behind him.

He turns to me as the words spill out of my mouth, "Sir, I can explain-"

His hand winds up and strikes my cheek so quickly I can barely react, his rings that lace his fingers tearing into my skin. I nearly fall as the pain chokes me but he grasps my collar again before I have the chance. "You think you can screw around with my daughter and I'm not going to find out?" He demands, enraged.

"Please, sir-" I attempt when his hand comes across my face again.

"You are nothing! You think you can have my daughter because you saved the world? You think you can have anything!" He shouts in my face, his eyes blazing with furry.

He winds up and punches my mouth, I stumble backwards as blood fills my mouth and sputters past my lips. I know it's useless fighting him, that nothing I say will make sense to him.

"You are dirt, you are worthless. My daughter thinks she loves you because she doesn't know what love is. Love is more than kissing in back alleys and sleeping together. Here love means working together to run a country," he spits at me where I sit, slouched against the wall. I wonder how he found out about us in the alleyway, but then decide it doesn't matter. He's the King, he knows everything.

"You and Zelda had your time together, working with the sages and stopping Ganondorf. But that time is over, and you and her will never be together," he says with as much venom as possible. "Now, get out of my castle."

I do as he says and pull myself back up though my head aches as I do so. I meander down the hallways, mopping up the blood on my face while trying to find my way out through the endless corridors. I guess it doesn't matter whether or not Zelda and I will ever end up together because I probably won't make it back after the war. When I make it outside, the cold air hits me like a hammer, and the pain is making my head run in circles, dizziness swirling around me. I sit on one of the hills outside of the castle, one Zelda and I used to sit on and watch the shooting stars at night. I wait about an hour until I hear the familiar padding of her feet over to me. She sits down beside me, sniffling, and I wonder how much of his furry she got because of me.

I look over and see that she's wearing the same dress she had been sleeping in. Black silk that falls to her mid-thigh with spaghetti straps. Her face is red and I can see where every tear had fallen down her face. Her pale gold hair shimmers in the moonlight, falling in a curtain in front of her face. When she looks up at me she gasps, noticing the deep gashes cut into my cheek. I turn away, not wanting her to see.

Her fingers trail my cheekbone and I wince in pain, pulling my face further out of her reach. "Let me see it," she whispers.

"No," I mutter, cringing away from her touch.

"How could he do this to you?" she whispers, her voice thick.

"I don't know," I say with a lump in my throat, "how could he go back on his promise, how could he go to war, how could he hurt you like he did?"

"Hurt me?" she asks.

"Tell me what he said to you to make you like this?" I ask wiping away another tear as it falls from her eye.

She swallows, her face scrunching up as agony takes over, "He told me that if I ever saw you again he would personally have you killed."

I pause, the shock openly resonating on my face.

"When I tried to tell him that I would never speak to him again if he did something stupid like that, he told me that I was no daughter of his if these words were coming out of my mouth. He said that you wanted our riches, nothing else. That you were a worthless peasant that wants nothing more than to squander in our glory. He said...you don't love me."

I'm grateful that she didn't edit the conversation so I can counter everything he said. "Zelda, I've loved you since before I knew what love was."

"And I, you," she whispers.

"Promise me that you won't wait if I die," I say suddenly.

"What?" she asks.

I let out a deep sigh, "If I die, go on with your life. Don't wait for me to come back."

She bites her lip like she really wants to argue but she says, "I'll wait for you until I get the word...and then who knows after that."

"I love you," I say as passionately as I can muster because this will be the last time.

"I love you so much Link," she says as tears trickle down her face. She wraps her arms around me and holds me, "Promise me you'll be safe."

I don't say anything, I just hold her body against mine, because that's something that is impossible to promise.

* * *

I watch as every young soldier waits in line, taking their token from Zelda so that they can be on their way out to the regiment. I almost skip over the line as we're strictly instructed not to do, just so I can avoid seeing her without wanting to scoop her up into my arms and hold her forever. I ride on Epona's back, slowly inching my way forward drawing closer and closer to her. Many of the boys have excitement on their faces as they giggle about meeting the Princess like little girls.

"Hey, Link!" A voice calls beside me.

"Hi Skylar," I say looking down at him.

"Whoa, man. What happened to your face?" he asks.

"I uh...had a run in with a wolf out in the field the other night. I was just picking up some last minute gear and was caught off guard," I mutter, feeling the sting of the still-open wounds.

"Yikes, going into battle already wounded?" he asks skeptically.

"Unfortunately so," I say moving up again in line.

"Hey, check out this token, I swear when the Princess gave it to me she winked at me. I think she likes me," he says.

"Yeah buddy, I'm sure she's really into you," I say without sarcasm, why not let the kid hope?

"But hey, I'm gonna go so I can get some of the best weaponry before it's all gone. I'll see you around?" he says turning over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll see you," I mutter because he's already lost in the crowd.

I inch closer and closer, my heart picking up speed as we near one another. When at last it's my turn, I dismount Epona and bow to the King, avoiding eye contact. Then I turn to Zelda and I can see the tears forming in her eyes, the pain clear on her face under her shear veil.

"Knight of Hyrule..." she murmurs, her voice quivering.

Her father shoots her a disappointed glare and then looks straight ahead.

"Take this token," she continues as a tear trickles off her chin, "and serve us in our time of need."

I take the handkerchief in her shaking hand and bow my head.

"Your Highness," I say.

And then her hands are on either side of my head and her lips are pressed to my hair. I wonder if this is customary, because if it isn't, her father will really let her have it. One of my own tears hits the pavement as she pulls back.

She clears her throat, "Good luck."

I nod and take my place back on Epona, taking in her face one last time as we're sent out to battle. I memorize the face of the girl I love, of the girl I'll never see again.

_**

* * *

**_

_**ZELDA**_

_Dear Link,_

I scratch it out immediately.

_Dearest Link,_

I scratch that out too.

_Link,_

That will do.

_You've been gone for an entire month now. I wish I could tell you how much I miss you already but that would take far more than a single piece of parchment and therefore, I will not waste this on empty words that cannot explain what I feel inside. I know you must be busy and thus, cannot write me...but when you get a chance I want to know how you're doing. Also there is something far more pressing I must let you know. I'm_

Suddenly my door flies open and my maid is standing in the doorway.

"Adelaide? What is it?" I ask standing at my desk.

"There's a letter that's just come for you. It's from the camp out in Dalmarth," she explains handing me the envelope.

A tinge of hope pricks at my heart, a letter from Link, finally. I smile and take it from her though her expression is not one of excitement for me as it always is when I relay my moments alone with Link, it's one of concern.

I open the envelope and pull out the letter as quickly as I can, finding that the letter is not addressed to me...but _to whom to may concern..._

I read on for only a sentence and everything changes. My heart clenches tightly and I collapse on the floor, my hand clapped over my mouth. Adelaide is at my side in an instance as I cough out disbelieving sobs. She's trying to calm me down, to say something, but all I can hear is the blood rushing in my ears.

I won't get a chance to send the letter to him.

_**

* * *

**_

_**LINK**_

All I saw was the arrow whizzing through the air, and suddenly I looked down, and it was sticking straight out of my chest. I don't remember feeling it, just seeing it there so peculiarly coming right out of my body. And then my head swam and I was on the ground. Three men were at my side in an instance, assessing my situation, trying to decide whether or not to pull the arrow.

All I thought about was how I would never get to see her again. I imagined her face as hard as I could and thought about our seven children that would never be.

All I wanted was to see her again.

I don't remember passing out but when I woke up I was in a hospital of sorts. A white tent with nurses buzzing around. To my left was a man without his right leg, to my right was a man that was holding his intestines in his hands while the doctor tried to fix him up. A nurse was leaning over me trying to stitch me up. I felt awful.

There was a massive amount of blood on my clothes and skin, and I remember thinking that I haven't won this battle yet because I'm still bleeding out.

The hole in me was a horrifying mess, my skin torn apart where they pulled the arrow out. It was the most excruciating pain I ever recall feeling. I didn't know what the damage was like on the inside, I only hoped it wasn't as bad as it looked.

I passed out again before it was over. When I wake up this time, I know I must be dead. I look around anxiously but it's silent, my first hint that I'm not in the war torn camp that I was when I took this hit. And then I see through a rip in the tent and see that the sky is black and that it's night, the fighting due to resume tomorrow morning. A woman walks over to me, noticing that I'm struggling to sit up and tries to get me to lay back down.

"What happened?" I croak.

"We won the battle," she says in a hushed voice.

My brow creases, "What?"

"We won," she says again, an exhausted smile on her face.

"So, where will the next battle take place? How will I be transported there?" I ask intently.

"They don't think there will be another battle. Captain Donovan is negotiating with their captain now in your stead. They think...this could be it?" she says.

"It? You mean..."

She hesitates, not wanting to curse our luck I suppose, "The end of the war."

"I can go home," I say, joy overwhelming me.

"Well, you've still got a battle of your own to fight, you've got to recover first," she says.

Tears stream down my temples, "I haven't seen Hyrule in almost three years," I say, staring at the roof.

"It's been a long time for all of us," she agrees, laying a cool cloth on my forehead.

"Three years, and this battle is finally over," I muse.

"We barely made it out, but yes, it's most likely over," she says, squeezing my shoulder.

I know what she means. My first day here over half of my regiment was killed. Our numbers were few and our battle strategies were poor. We had to completely overhaul the system and use our brains over our brawn. Bit by bit we managed to overtake them but it has been a long run. There are very few of us left. Skylar, the boy I met back in Hyrule died within the first month, trying to run home.

Suddenly cheers erupt from outside and I smile. It's over.

I see her face behind my eyelids and she's smiling at me.

I smile back.

* * *

We've been traveling for a week when the first signs make it apparent that we are very close to Hyrule. I can see the peak of Death Mountain on the horizon, the castle spires. My heart stutters as I wonder if she made good on her promise and will be there waiting for me. I told myself I wouldn't blame her if she didn't, but part of me still hopes that she is.

There's a parade in the streets as we walk through castle town, flowers litter the ground as more are showered on our heads from the windows. We are congratulated at the front of the castle by The King, given our rewards and sent home.

She isn't waiting there.

Regardless, there is something I need to do, something I've composed in my head and perfected for the past three years. I need to sort things out between myself and Zelda's father. I need to make my apologies but I need to make him see why I wanted things to be the way he wouldn't let them.

I don't have to wait to see him, he's taken the day off from council meetings and paper signings to welcome us home. He let's me right in.

Right off the bat his eyes are wide in shock as I walk through the doors into his study. I take a knee and bow until he offers me the chance to rise. Everything I've planned in my head goes out the window.

"Sir, there are things that I need to address," I start.

He stares at me, panic on his face though I don't know why.

"For one your Highness, I need you to know that I am very sorry for the way I acted around you and your daughter. Secrecy is an insult and I should have come straight to you and asked for your permission before I went any further. She is your daughter and I had no right to be with her behind your back. For that I am eternally in your debt," I say quickly.

"Of course Link, it's been three years and you've served this country well. You are forgiven," he says immediately almost as if he's wishing I'll just leave as soon as possible.

"I'm not finished...please Sir. I wanted to explain myself. I loved your daughter very much, and I know running a kingdom is more than love. But I would never do anything to harm her," I say.

"Yes, I'm aware..." The King trails off.

"And...I'm guessing that by now she's moved on," I say with a shrug.

"Oh, uh yes. She has Link," he says almost sheepishly.

My heart sinks, "But I was wondering...I was wondering if she was around because I need to straighten out some things between her and I as well. And then I will be gone from your life, I will never speak to you or your family again if you don't have need of it. I will not change her mind from the path she has chosen, I will not attempt to do as such. I just need to see her briefly," I end.

"I'm sorry boy, she's not here," he says.

"Not...here?" I ask.

"No, She's out at a hearing," he mutters, "you best be on your way, back to your family now hm?"

I shake my head, my family limited to Malon and Talon. But I'm escorted out of the room anyways. My whole body is quivering by the time I make it outside. Despite the fact that I told myself numerous times that she'd moved on, hearing the words was impossible. I shrugged it off and swallowed hard, _she didn't write to you, she knew you'd be gone a long time, she moved on, it's alright,_ I told myself. I found a bench outside one of the walls and collapsed on it, burying my face in my hands.

Suddenly I feel a hand on my knee and when I look up, bright blue eyes are staring back at me, a little girl smiling at me with baby teeth poking through. I smile wearily at her and pat her hand, the one that rests on my knee.

"There you are Ev, I'm sorry Sir-" a woman's voice says as the girl is whisked away from me.

"It's fine," I say looking up.

The woman in front of me is one I know all too well. She looks the same, though something hollow is in her eyes now, like a ghost.

She stares back at me for a long while, her hand over her mouth, the little girl on her hip.

And I stare too, unsure of what to say to break the silence.

"Link?" she asks incredulously.

I stand up and bow my head, "Princess."

In half a second, her arm is slung around my neck and she holds me in a tight embrace. Her breathing is uneven and it takes me a moment to realize she's crying.

She pulls back and takes in my face, her gloved hand on my cheek, "How...how are you here?"

"The war is over," I say confused though my heart is flying, "you didn't know?"

"I got a letter a month after you went out saying you were dead!" she says as tears stream down her face.

"What? No, I'm here, I'm fine," I mutter smiling back at her, "had a few close calls but I made it back all in one piece."

She laughs as a happy sob pushes past her lips and she pulls me towards her again. "Oh, I've missed you," she says in a hushed voice.

"I missed you too," I whisper.

Suddenly the little girl starts cooing and I remember her presence. Zelda pulls back laughing a little bit, "Are you saying hi?"

I smile at the girl, waiting for an explanation.

"Link, this is Evangeline...my daughter," she says.

"Your daughter?" I ask, something like shock coming off my voice/

"Yes." Zelda looks embarrassed.

"Ah, there you two are," a masculine voice says turning the corner.

I look over Zelda's shoulder and see a tall man with broad shoulders, dark hair and dark chocolate eyes. He slings an arm over Zelda's shoulder and next to her she looks so petite, like if he squeezed tight enough he would crush her. She didn't used to look like that, so fragile.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello. So this is just a short little section but I did it quickly because people were wanting more. Hopefully this will hold you over for a little while. I know it's kind of like the notebook but that's just what I envisioned so sorry. Also, just as a side note, this book is not in chapters so if it seems to end abruptly, that's just where I finished writing for the day and it's in no way a chapter ending. Perhaps in the future I'll split it into actual chapters but for now it's just as it is. Well, enjoy once again. Also, thank you for the amazing reviews. Literally made my day.**

* * *

"Ah, there you two are," a masculine voice says turning the corner.

I look over Zelda's shoulder and see a tall man with broad shoulders, dark hair and dark chocolate eyes. He slings an arm over Zelda's shoulder and next to her she looks so petite, like if he squeezed tight enough he would crush her. She didn't used to look like that, so fragile.

"Who's this young man you're bothering, hmm?" The man asks, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Oh, um," Zelda's face turns bright red, "this is a good friend of mine, Link."

He extends his arm forward so I take his hand and shake it, his grip is tight and I reflexively rub my hand when I pull it back.

"Link, this is Lawrence, my-" Zelda continues.

"Fiancée," he finishes for her.

I swallow as I take in the three figures in front of me. Zelda, Lawrence, there child; Evangeline. "How old is your daughter? She's beautiful," I say with a lump in my throat.

"Turned two a couple months ago," Lawrence answers.

Which means that Zelda got pregnant about a month after I left. Right around the time she thought I was dead. Despite what I told her, to move on if I died, I didn't think that she'd take a month to get over me.

I nod, looking at the girl that looks exactly like Zelda. "Well...I better be going. I have to ride back to Lon Lon tonight so..." I trail off.

"No!" Zelda says abruptly as I turn. I freeze. "Link, it's late. You've been traveling all day, you can stay in one of the spare bedrooms."

"Yes of course, our accommodations will suit your needs," Lawrence agrees.

"Are you sure I should stay here?" I ask hesitantly.

"Of course Link. You just got back..." Zelda says almost glumly.

"Alright. I'll stay for a night I suppose," I give in. Zelda's face lights up.

"Oh! I almost forgot, I'm supposed to be at a council meeting for the uniting of our Kingdoms my dear. The Falvale minister will be there so I must be going," Lawrence says, kissing Zelda quickly on the lips. I cringe internally.

"Good luck," Zelda says as he rushes off in the other direction.

"He's a great guy, Zelda," I say with some effort.

"Yes, he's a good man," she says though something in her eyes makes me not want to believe her.

"How long have you two been together?" I ask but I know she sees right through me. She knows the real question should be _how long did it take you to forget about me? _

"Almost three years," she says looking down, tucking her hair behind her ear, something she does when she's embarrassed. "I guess I just realized that the war could go on for a long time and I needed a partner that could help me lead our country through it."

"And how soon did Evangeline come after you met?" I ask, a very slight amount of acid seeping into my words.

"Actually I've known him for a long time. But my Father suggested we marry soon after you left for war," she says defensively.

"You didn't answer the question," I whisper because if I speak louder she'll hear that my voice is shaking.

She bites her lip, "About a month and a half after...I found out I was pregnant."

I clench my jaw and stare at her, at the girl in her arms that is looking back at me with eyes that match Zelda's perfectly.

"Look Link. If you wanted me so bad why didn't you write me?" she asks, her voice low.

I shake my head, "I did write you. I mean, I couldn't write you as often as I wanted to, the postman only came twice a month or so, but I sent back a letter every time he came."

"You did?" she asks, completely shocked.

"Yes," I reply simply.

"I never got any of them," she explains.

"Is that why you never wrote me?" I ask.

"Link, I wrote you almost everyday after you left until I got the letter saying you had died," she murmurs, she looks so distraught.

"I don't understand...they never came," I tell her.

"I swear I did," she says and she places her hand on my chest like she used to, expecting me to hold her.

It hurts though, and I realize that she rests her hand right where the arrow pierced my skin, where it still hasn't healed completely. I wince and she pulls back immediately, "I believe you."

The hurt on her face is so clear when I don't wrap my arms around her and hold her face against my shoulder. I wish I could. "I have to go do something. If you need help finding your room just ask one of the maids. They'll help you with all of your things."

"Alright," I say stiffly. It's been so long that I don't want her to leave.

"I'll see you soon," she reassures me.

And then she's gone again, just like that.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

"Where are they?" I shout, infuriated.

"Zelda, what are you doing here?" my Father asks.

"Where are my letters? I know you're keeping them from me! Where are they?" I scream, tears rushing down my cheeks.

"Calm down right now," he says.

"No, I know what you did. You sent that letter didn't you. You sent the letter saying he was dead," I accuse.

"Zelda, I have no idea what you're talking about," my Father says calmly.

"This was all part of your plan wasn't it? As soon as I told you I was pregnant you fabricated that letter, making me believe he was dead. You made me believe that I had no other choice but to pretend that Lawrence was the father. Make Lawrence believe that he was. You hid the letters I sent him and the ones that he sent me so that no one would find out about your plan. You didn't want a scandal, and you wanted to get rid of him so I had no reason to hold onto him. That's why you made him go to war isn't it? Because you were scared that I wouldn't let him go!" I finish, angry tears pooling in my eyes.

"Zelda, this is ridiculous," is all he says.

I march over to his desk and start throwing open drawers despite his angry resistance. I look for anything resembling the letters that I never got.

"Zelda! Stop this nonsense at once! You're acting absolutely childish," he says gruffly, seizing one of my wrists.

I twist my arm out of his grasp and swing my hand at his face, making a satisfying slapping sound as it makes contact with his cheek. He stares back at me with shock on his face. All I do is look at him letting the depression I've been hiding show itself clearly.

"Just tell me where they are," I say, my forehead scrunched in distress.

"You can't let this jeopardize everything between Hyrule and Falvale. You know this. You cannot go back to him Zelda. And you must not tell Lawrence," he says strictly but he pulls a key off of his desk and unlocks a cabinet behind him. He fishes around in it for a moment and pulls out a stack of scraps of papers and dirty, torn envelopes.

He hands them to me and I take them with as much care as possible. Everything would be different if I'd had these.

"Thank you Daddy," I murmur as a sob builds in my throat.

"Zelda, don't tell Lawrence," he says again.

I nod and leave the room, cradling the letters against my chest.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay so this will probs be my last update for about a week as school and cheer take up the majority of my time. Just want to thank the people who review it. It makes me so happy when I read them. Seriously. So yes. I guess you can go ahead and read now. **

_**L**__**INK**_

I sit for a long time on my bed, my head in my hands. Everything was so different than how I'd envisioned it. I saw my return welcomed with Zelda rushing towards me, holding me close, kissing me for the time we'd lost.

It turned out to be quite the opposite.

Engaged...how could she be engaged? Didn't she promise she'd wait for me? Didn't I have to beg her to try and move on if things went badly? And now she's marrying somebody else, and she's taking care of his child.

I close my eyes and lay down on the mattress, softer than any bed I've slept in. I kick my boots off the end of the bed and pull off my shirt, trying to relax and fall asleep. I haven't slept properly in three years and it's taken it's toll on me.

I don't know how long I sleep for when I see him, Skylar, the sixteen year old boy, laying down his weapons and running across the field, his hands held up in surrender. Seconds later he's struck down by arrow after arrow. His body lays on the field, his breathing slowing as we all watch him die, unable to be by his side in his last moments.

When I wake up from this dream I'm drenched in sweat, my heart pounding. My hands shake as I try to pull myself out of bed, everything feels claustrophobic. I pull on my shirt and leave my room, sentencing myself to wander around the halls until I can quiet my mind, slow things down. It doesn't surprise me when I see her standing by the window in the corridor, she told me once that she barely slept when I was out fighting Ganondorf's followers, and though he's gone, we're fighting a very real fight right now.

"Hey," I say walking up beside her, "couldn't sleep?"

She glances up at me, her white blond hair catching the moonlight in it's careless curls. The pale light streaming through the window illuminates her eyes, making them look more alive than earlier today. "I don't sleep like I used to."

"Me neither," I say looking out onto the hills shrouded in darkness.

She slips her hand into mine, and at first I think she's doing it as a gesture that she's there for me, or that maybe she still cares about me like she used to. But when I look down there's a piece of paper in my hand that she's passed to me.

"Open it," she says and I can see tears glittering in her eyes now.

I can barely see but I unfold the piece of paper and squint down at it. It's a list...a list of names, one that I remember because I sent it to her almost two years ago.

"Seven girls names, seven boys names," I mutter to myself, a shadow of a smile tugging at my lips.

"Read the first one," she says, watching my face.

"Evangeline," I murmur, "but you never got this letter."

"No. I remember one night we were talking about the future and what it held for us. That night you asked me to marry you. You said that you loved the name Evangeline," she explains.

"I don't remember a lot about that night. It was one of the hardest nights of my life being told 'no' by someone other than the girl I asked to marry me," I say to myself.

"I remember we tried to convince him for hours. But my Dad just wouldn't take it," she says.

"Yeah...wait, where did you find this?" I ask.

A single solitary tear falls from her eye, "In my Father's office. He'd been keeping them from me. He was trying to help but..."

"Did he give you all of them?" I ask, suddenly very self-conscious.

She nods, "I'm so sorry Link."

"What for?" I ask gently.

"Because you loved me, and I left when I said I wouldn't...I left when I still loved you," she says, her voice choking over her tears.

My heart stutters, "I want to kiss you right now."

"Please do it," she says taking a step towards me, "please."

I close the distance between us quickly, winding my arms around her as she puts her hands on the back of my neck. I bring her lips to mine and hold her there as she moves her lips slowly with mine. She holds my bottom lip in between hers and for a moment I forget that her fiancee is sleeping only a floor above us. Her teeth graze my tongue and I want nothing more than to sweep her off her feet and make a break for it. And that's when I pull back.

She looks at the ground, resting her forehead on my chest. I wonder if she feels guilty about what she just did.

"I'm sorry," I murmur.

She looks up at me, "Why?"

I shake my head, my brow furrowing, "I shouldn't have done that."

"But, Link...I wanted you to," she explains.

"Zelda...what are we doing? Why am I here? You're engaged, you have a baby, a kingdom," I say letting go of her.

"Link," she says with authority in her voice.

"No. It's true. I'm going to leave first thing tomorrow. Then I'll be out of your hair and you and Lawrence can get on with your lives," I conclude.

Tears spring to her eyes. "Don't go."

"We can't keep doing this," I say, my chest aching.

I turn around and leave her in the hallway. That's it, that will be the last communication between us. Maybe I'll even grow to love Malon.

I lay in my bed for hours, but I never fall asleep.

_**

* * *

**_

_**ZELDA**_

I lay in bed even after I should have gotten up. I watch as Lawrence gets dressed for the day, barely paying any attention to me. If it was _him_ here he would have noticed something was wrong with me. But Lawrence is too busy.

I feel like I weigh a thousand pounds, unable to move, unable to will myself to pretend throughout my day. He's probably gone by now, far off at the ranch, and he'll probably never come back. Every time I think it, my heart grows heavier. I look at Lawrence, his face indifferent, cold, I force myself to imagine my whole life waking up this way with him by my side. He isn't in this for me, he's in it because he was raised to be a leader, not a lover. I wonder if Ganondorf had not come, those seven years spent in secrecy and yearning rather than learning how to be prim and proper, if I would have turned out like Lawrence. I wonder if I would have seen the practicality behind it and been willing to marry Lawrence, instead of being forced into it.

I wonder if he'll ever find out about Evangeline. I mean, I had gotten him so drunk that night that he doesn't remember any of it. Even the fact that we'd never slept together. I'd convinced him we had though because I had no other option. I've found a way of getting out of doing it ever since.

But how long can that go on for? When will I finally have to give in and accept the fact that he's my husband? My throat clenches tightly as I imagine having my children with him instead of the man I actually love.

"Well, my love. I must be going. Have a pleasant afternoon," he says casually, leaning over and pressing his lips to my cheek.

"You also," I say though my voice barely comes out.

"Is something the matter, dearest?" He asks.

I want to tell him right now. I want to so bad.

"No," I say vacantly.

"Alright, see you soon," he says and he leaves.

With the safety of the closed door I let out all of the tears I've been hiding since last night.

_**

* * *

**_

L

_**INK**_

"Link! It's so great to have you back," Talon says slapping me on the back.

"Thanks, it's great to be back," I mutter, a tired smile on my face.

"Link," Malon says, appearing from the top of the stairs. She rushes down and throws her arms around my neck, "I missed you."

"Hey Mal," I say, hugging her hesitantly.

"Do you want to go on a walk? Catch up?" Talon asks, winking at Malon.

"Sure," I say, assuming he's talking about all three of us.

"Well then, I'll see you two in a while. And I'll get started on dinner," Talon says turning around.

I freeze though Malon tugs on my sleeve and pulls me out the door. "Link, you must tell me everything."

"Malon, it was a war. There's not a lot to tell," I say quietly as she links her arm in mine.

"Did you think about me a lot?" she asks.

I pause, not wanting to hurt her feelings by telling her she wasn't the one I was thinking of. But she might be my only shot at a different future than the one I want. "Of course, I always thought about you and your dad. This is like home to me."

Her face falls. She clearly was expecting me to say something else.

"Did you see..._her_ there? Before you left?" she asks casually though I can tell the question has been eating away at her.

"Minimally," I say though I know that it's a complete lie.

"Hmm, I heard she's getting married. Do you think you'll go to the wedding? The whole country will probably be there," she says.

"No, I don't think I'll go," I say, irritated. I just want to stop talking about her.

"I think I will, I've been saving up for a dress I saw in the town just for that day," she explains.

"Well I guess I'll just stay here and take care of the ranch then when you go," I say, through my teeth.

"I don't know why you don't want to go. I thought you said you loved her," Malon says, and I know she's just trying to be friendly but this conversation is killing me.

"That's why I don't want to go. Now, I'm tired so I think I'll turn in. Tell your Father I won't be at dinner," I say, pulling my arm out of hers.

"Goodnight..." she mutters as I walk away.

I can't say anything back though, because my heart is breaking.

_**

* * *

**_

ZELDA

A loud rapping on the door snaps me out of my reverie. I don't move because I don't want to be bothered, but seconds later my Father opens the door.

"Zelda, what are you still doing in bed? Are you ill?" He asks.

I shake my head, the tears I thought were gone making a reappearance.

"What's wrong Zelda?" He asks, coming towards me.

He sits down on the bed and pushes my hair off my forehead, "I miss him so much."

He pulls his hand back and looks at me with a sour look on his face. "Zelda, he's gone now. What of Lawrence? Do you not love him?"

"You know I don't," I whisper.

He sighs and wipes his face with his hand, "You know I can't do anything about that. You know that this is your duty."

"Why will you not let him be with me, Father? Why is that so impossible?"

"He has not grown up in this lifestyle Zelda. You need a husband that can also be a king," he says almost harshly.

"But I want my daughter to have her Father here," I say quietly despite the fact that I know Lawrence is nowhere nearby.

"Lawrence is her Father," he reminds me.

"Her real Father," I correct myself.

"What's real and what's not does not matter here. What matters is keeping up appearances. If this kingdom knew that you had an affair with that boy how would you expect them to listen to and respect you?" my Father asks, annoyance in his tone.

I didn't have an affair with him. I loved him, he left. My Father forced me to be with Lawrence. When I think about it, it's as if I'm having an affair with Lawrence as we speak. It's a bit backwards yes, my affair being open and my real love being hidden, but that's the way I see it.

"You can't tell Link about Evangeline...you haven't have you?"

I wish I had, but I grit my teeth together and say, "No."

"And it must remain that way," he says, standing back up and straightening his shirt.

"Don't expect me to come down for dinner. I need to sort out my thoughts," I say.

"I will tell everyone you've fallen ill," he says, leaving the room and shutting the door.

I reach under the bed to where I've temporarily stored Link's letters, and pull one from the pile. It's just a small scrap of newspaper he's written on so it doesn't hold much, but it means a lot to me. It reads:

_Zelda,_

_I miss you. Know that you are what has gotten me this far, and you will be what gets me through if I am to survive. You are what makes going back after this worth it._

And I had abandoned him. He had gone through all of that when I'm sure it would be easier to let go and die at some times. I'd ruined him. I'd ruined The Hero of Time.

_**

* * *

**_

LINK

It was late by the time I got the cargo for town packed up. I knew I'd be traveling at night but I'd wanted this. This way I'd have a smaller chance of running into her.

"Be careful out there Link," Talon says holding a lantern out to me.

I nod and hook the lantern on the side of the wagon I sit in, Epona hooked up to the front.

"I'll be back by morning," I say, and then I take the reins and the night engulfs me.

It's quiet out in the field, peaceful. I take in a deep breath and look to the horizon, seeing the castle spires disappearing to the black sky. I wonder if she's looking out her window towards me now.

Something stirs to my left suddenly and I glance over quickly but it's too dark to see much of anything. I pull up on the reins, stopping Epona and listen closely. Another swift movement in front of me and Epona whinnies. I look over the edge of the cart and don't see anything but the grass and dirt of the ground. Epona is clearly getting worked up, she fidgets uneasily. I hop over the edge of the cart and walk up to Epona's side, patting her back.

"Hey, easy girl," I say as the hair on the back of my neck stands up straight.

A shattering sound echos behind me and the lantern that had been attached to the wagon goes out. Everything is completely shrouded in darkness now. I instinctively reach for my sword and then realize that it's not there. I'm on my own.

Epona rears up on her hind legs and I turn just as a flash of silver slices through the night and is plunged into my stomach. A sharp pain ricochets throughout my body and I grasp my stomach, something hot and sticky spilling onto my hands. Blood.

I fall onto my knees as a group of people raid the wagon, taking the cargo I was to deliver, and cutting Epona free. I fall forward, still clutching my side, my breathing shallow. They work quickly, some of them stepping on me as they move and then they're gone. I try as hard as I can to crawl onto my knees and lean against the empty cart they left me, slowly bleeding out. I look down at my wound, but all I can see is the faint glimmer of the moonlight on my wet hands.

I survived war to come home and be murdered a few days later.

_**

* * *

**_

ZELDA

I'm reading when it happens. The castle is still quiet, nobody else quite awake yet apart from the maids in the kitchen, preparing for breakfast. Suddenly the nurses are all rushing back and forth and then two men follow them to the hospital wing with a man on a stretcher.

No.

That wasn't...it couldn't be.

Please don't let it be.

My heart starts racing as I get up, dropping my book. I don't even care that I've lost my place as I pick up my skirt and start after them. The hospital wing is in a frenzy, and amongst the frazzled doctors I see a man laying on a white cot, his shirt torn open as a pile of white cloth stained red is pressed on top of him. His face is hidden behind a mask as another nurse tries to pump air into him, he lays motionless. A doctor has his fingers laced together on his chest, trying to get his heart working again.

And then I see his limp arms by his sides and I see the mark on his hand.

The same one that marks mine.

My heart stops beating all together as my mind tries to catch up with what's going on. I walk towards him and suddenly a nurse is restraining me, saying words that I don't catch because I'm screaming.

"Princess, you have to stay back," she says over top of my mindless shouts at the doctors.

"No! You have to let me see him!" I yell through a sob.

She finally gives in as I race towards him, a doctor has his fingers pressed to Link's throat, trying to find a pulse. I kneel by his bed and take his hand in mine, the one that has the triforce on the back.

"Come on," I whisper, tear drops dripping off my chin onto the bed.

The doctor steps back suddenly and pulls his mask down. "He's gone."

Something blocks my throat, because I can't say anything at the same time I feel like I'm going to throw up but nothing comes. I look at his face, motionless, pale. His lips have barely any color in them. The little white scars on his cheek from the night before he left for the war look grey. His hand is cold.

Oh no, he really is gone.

And then the thing that was blocking my throat is gone and I let out the most pained sob I've ever felt. All of the nurses stand back, staring at me, not capable of consoling me at this time. Adelaide comes back into the room with more white bandages and sees my face, she drops the bandages and claps her hands over her mouth. She's the only one in this room other than me that understands the whole situation I'm facing. She's the only other person I've told everything.

"Princess," the doctor finally says, laying his hand on my shoulder.

I shrug him off, holding Link's hand to my face, pressing my lips to it.

"Give her a moment," Adelaide says, her voice shaking.

Everyone backs up, eventually leaving the room. Adelaide closes the door behind her.

I lay my head on his bed and cry the hardest I've cried since I got the letter saying he was killed. This is worse though. I wasn't prepared for this, and his body is right in front of me, shouting at me the truth I wish I could suppress.

I climb up onto the bed and lay beside him, his blood staining my clothes. I kiss his cheek but it's so cold that I pull back quickly.

"Wake up," I murmur.

Nothing. He's dead...He's dead.

"Come on, baby, wake up," I say, my whole body trembling.

He's still. I clench my teeth and cry, trying to contain my screams.

"Please...Goddesses of Hyrule. Give me your strength..." I begin but burst into tears. "Help me," is all I can say.

The back of my hand starts burning and I glance down to see that the triangle on my hand is glowing...but not only mine, the triangle on his hand burns gold too. I lift my hand up and place it over his heart, something warm flowing from my fingertips into his body. The place where I lay my hand starts glowing and it fills the room with white light. Soon enough it's so bright I can't see anything.

And suddenly it's dimming and the triforce fades back to way it used to be.

His face is still pale, his hands still cold.

I swallow, my hope lost, because nothing happened. It didn't work.

And then his chest rises quickly and he sucks in a breath. His cheeks flush as his breath starts racing. My eyes widen as I stare in amazement. He's breathing.

His eyes flash open then and he glances around until he finally finds my face. "Zelda?"

I break into a smile as I wrap my arms around him, nestling my head in his shoulder.

"What happened?" he asks though his voice is groggy.

"You...you died," I say.

I sit up then and pull away the mounds of bandages on his stomach, there's a thin pink line in his skin, but it's not open. His wound has completely sealed up.

He tries to sit up with some difficulty and looks down, gasping when he sees it. "I was stabbed...last night. How...?"

"The Goddesses granted you mercy," I say, running my thumb over the scar.

"I'm alive," he says, an elated smile on his face.

"Yeah, you're alive," I say, my heart swelling.

I realize I couldn't live if it were any other way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi there people. Here's another little chunk. Sorry it's pretty short. I guess this is just a set up for better things...? And also sorry it took so long. This week has been death, alas, I hope you enjoy this regardless of my laziness. Hopefully I'll have a big grand exciting chunk up for you guys by next week. And this is your cue to start reading...**

_**LINK**_

"What happened?" I ask as the doctor checks my vitals, reassuring me that I am in fact living.

"From what you've told us, you were attacked, presumably by a gerudo band of thieves. You were out there all night until this morning when the postman found you on one of his routes. He came back to the castle for help and by the time he got you here you'd mostly bled out. I mean, there wasn't a lot we could do for you and then we lost you," the doctor explains.

I peek over at Zelda, waiting in a chair in the corner. She looks exhausted and her eyes are miserable, but there's a tired smile on her face when our eyes meet.

"Then how...did I come back?" I ask.

The doctor looks over at Zelda because he's undoubtedly just as baffled as I am.

"I think the Goddesses saved you," she says.

I let out a sigh, a smile on my lips as I lay back and close my eyes. Suddenly the door to my hospital room is thrown open and my eyes flash back open to see Lawrence charging through the doorway.

"Zelda! Where have you been? I was so worried," he says, striding quickly over to her and pulling her fiercely into his arms.

"Lawrence, I've been here all day," she says, placing her hands on his chest and pushing him back gently.

His eyebrows crease as he finally notices my presence, "Hmm. Link is it?"

I nod.

"Well, what on Earth happened to you?" he asks arrogantly.

"Lawrence! He was stabbed last night. He almost didn't make it," Zelda says angrily.

"Well he seems to be doing fine now. What do you say we send him back to his home hmm?" Lawrence says with a wave of his hand.

"No," Zelda says immediately, "he's not doing fine now."

"The Princess is right," the doctor chimes in, "he lost a lot of blood. I'd advise him to stay here for a week or so before he takes the journey back."

"A week," Lawrence says, clenching his jaw.

"He needs his rest, and monitored medical attention," the doctor concludes.

"And he can't be moved to the general public hospital?" Lawrence asks.

"No, he's here, he can stay here," Zelda says, annoyance on her face.

"How will he pay for his medical bills Zelda? He's a working class citizen and this is a private hospital," Lawrence reminds her.

"I'll take care of it," she says.

He lets out a heavy sigh and rubs his face with his hand. "Will you be coming to the meeting today?"

"I think I should stay with Link," she says hesitantly.

Something flashes across his face, furry maybe, and he seizes her wrist and marches out into the hallway, towing her behind him. He slams the door behind them as Zelda protests, though her voice is cut of as the door clicks shut.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

"Lawrence, what are you-"

"Why do you need to stay with him Zelda? Your being there isn't going to make him better any faster," he whispers, low and angry.

"He's my friend. He needs someone," I object, my wrist starting to throb at his grasp.

"Really? He's your friend. That's it?" Lawrence asks skeptically.

"Yes, he's my friend," I repeat.

"Tell me that nothing happened between you two before the war," Lawrence says, a dead weight in his voice that makes my heart sink.

"Lawrence you're hurting me," I say, trying to wrench his hand off of me.

"Tell me!" he shouts suddenly.

"Please let go of me!" I cry, tears starting to form in my eyes.

He throws my wrist away as he marches off in the other direction. I cradle it in my arm as I silently sob, Link would have never done that to me. I stand in the corner, bent over in pain as I look at my wrist, a red hand print twisted around it like a burn. I never should have gone along with this, I never should have let him play prince. I take the ring that I'm forced to wear off my finger, and look at it as it sits in my shaking hand. It doesn't mean anything. It's not a sign of love or commitment, at least not to me. It's a commitment to this country.

I slip it into my pocket, wanting to open the window and throw it. But I don't because I'm scared of him now. I'm scared of what he could do.

I wipe my eyes on the back of my hand and rush down to my Father's office, not wanting to be stopped by anyone. I don't wait for him to answer my knock on the door, I just push it open and close it tightly behind me.

"Zelda...what's wrong?" he asks me, not even concern on his face.

"I can't do it," I say as another sob makes its way up my throat.

"You can't do what?" he asks, rolling his eyes.

"I can't marry Lawrence. Please don't make me...he doesn't love me, he doesn't care about Evangeline. He hurt me Daddy," I cry.

"What did he do?" he asks, scrutinizing my face.

I hold out my arm to him, "He wouldn't let go of me."

"Why? What happened?" he questions, shock flooding his eyes.

I hesitate, "Dad, Link was stabbed last night. He's in the hospital wing right now and he's fine but Lawrence wasn't too happy that I was with him."

He turns his head a fraction, almost as if he'll hear better if his ear is closer to me, "Link?"

I nod.

"Zelda. Tell me what I told you the last time I caught you two together," he says almost too patiently.

I shake my head, "Dad-"

"Tell me...Zelda."

I swallow, "You said you'd have him killed."

"Do I usually go back on my word?" he asks, his eyebrows raised.

"Yes."

He narrows his eyes, not expecting that. "Pardon me?"

"You told Link that for his service to this country he would never again have to participate on the battlefield. A year later you made him enlist in the army," I point out.

"What is your fascination with him, Zelda!" he booms.

I shake my head back and forth, my vision blurred as my eyes fill, "I love him."

"You don't," he assures me.

"Will you not tell me why you don't want us to be together?" I plead.

He clenches his jaw and glances down at a picture on his desk, the one of my mother. "Zelda, I have to be at a meeting. We'll speak again later."

I stand up, expecting him to do the same. However he stays seated, and he's still gazing at the picture when I close the door behind me.

* * *

_**LINK**_

"Link...are you still awake?"

I open my eyes and see a figure standing in the doorway in the dark.

"Yes," I say quietly.

She moves silently across the floor to my bedside. She kneels on the floor and pushes my hair off of my forehead. In the light that streams through the window above my head I see her eyes, her pained eyes.

"Why were you crying?" I ask, letting a finger drift across her cheek.

She shakes her head and collapses forward onto the bed. Her body shakes as she cries.

"Did Lawrence do this?" I ask, unsure if I should accuse him so quickly.

"I did this," she says, her voice muffled. She looks up at me with sorrow in her expression, "I did this by choosing him."

"Zelda, you didn't do anything wrong," I say, running my fingers through her hair.

She holds my hand against her face, sucking in a sharp breath as she tries to hold back tears.

"And I've seen you cry far too often...smile sweetheart," I say, trying to lift the corners of my lips for her.

She gives her very best attempt but it doesn't conceal the misery she feels.

"Go to sleep Princess. I'll still be here in the morning," I whisper.

"Promise?" she asks.

"I promise."

* * *

When I wake up again it's bright outside, but that's not why I wake.

I wake up because there's a little hand fiddling with my earring. I open my eyes to see perfect icy marble eyes looking down at me. Her blonde hair falls in curls around her face as she smiles at me, little white teeth poking through.

"Hi," I say.

"Oh, Evangeline," Zelda says as the little girl is scooped up in her arms, "sorry Link. I didn't realize you were awake."

"It's fine, I just woke up," I say.

"She was supposed to be playing with her blocks but she apparently got bored of that after a while," Zelda says motioning towards the pile of blocks in the corner of my room.

"Zelda, it's fine," I say, trying my best to sit up though my body still aches.

"Here," she says, reaching a hand towards me to help me sit up.

"Thanks," I say, glancing down at her hand. I see thin bruises encircling her wrist and wonder what happened.

She snatches it back out of my view as soon as she notices me staring at it and quickly changes the subject. "How did you sleep?" she asks, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear with her other hand.

"Well enough," I say, "considering the circumstances."

"Good, I'm happy," she says.

Everything seems so wrong about her saying that because I can see the contradiction in her eyes. I can see that something's bothering her. We sit in silence for a few moments until the question rips it's way out of me, "What's wrong?"

"You know what's wrong," she whispers after she's set Evangeline back down with her toys.

I let out a sigh, "Zelda...you can't keep doing this to yourself. My being here doesn't change anything. You go on with your life with Lawrence, I don't need to interrupt it any more than I already have. Just...stop considering how I factor into this because you don't need to think about how I feel or what I'm going to think. Just do what you want to do, and don't worry about me," I say looking at her daughter, at the girl that's living proof that I don't matter to her as much as Lawrence does.

"You don't understand anything," Zelda says quietly.

"What don't I understand? Look at her Zelda," I say pointing towards the toddler in the corner, "she's his daughter. Not mine."

Zelda opens her mouth like she wants to make a retort but then closes it just as quickly. She doesn't look at her daughter, but she just stares back at me like she's about to burst. "I'm sorry," is all she says.

"Don't be. I told you to move on."

She shakes her head and looks at the floor. "Are you feeling well enough to come and sit out in the gardens with us? It's a beautiful day..."

I nod, "I think I could manage."

"I can't be cooped up in here all day. I can't breathe in here," she explains.

I wish that I could press my mouth to hers and breathe life back into her. But I can't because she's chosen differently. It's too late for me.


	5. Chapter 5

**First off, I'm sorry that it's taken me longer than usual to get this up. I'm assuming you guys didn't really notice but if there's anyone that did, apologies. I had a pretty busy weekend last week, thus taking time away from my writing. I was competitng at our cheer team's zones so yeah. Well, enough about me. This next little tid bit was kind of inspired by a scene from the film In The Bedroom, which isn't at all how it sounds. Sad movie. Anyhow, I hope you guys enjoy it and all. And um..yes. Go for it.**

_**

* * *

**_

ZELDA

He looks so peaceful. Sitting there, on the bench beside me, the sun warming his pale face. His eyes are closed as the wind gently ruffles his blonde hair that falls in front of his eyes. He looks happy, but tired. There are dark circles under his eyes and I wonder how many nights he's been up. I wonder if he's been awake as long as I have when I'm thinking about him.

And then I look at my daughter playing in the grass. The daughter which is rightfully his. I think about when I will tell her who her real father is...or if I should at all. I mean, Lawrence still doesn't know and I don't ever plan on telling him. Would Evangeline keep it a secret as a sixteen year old girl, or would she run off and tell Lawrence in distress? Trying to imagine Evangeline as a teenager is impossible and so trying to see myself telling her about who her real father is seems miles away. Seeing myself with Lawrence sixteen years from now is even harder.

Even if Lawrence doesn't know...doesn't Link deserve to?

And then I remember my Father's warning not to say a word to him. But why should I care about what he says?

Evangeline's garbled talking breaks me out of my reverie though, and when I look back at her, she's holding onto Link's knees and bouncing up and down.

"Hey there," Link says reaching out and lifting her onto his knee. He bounces her up and down and talks baby talk in her ear. She giggles harder than I've ever heard her laugh and it's so much that I can barely contain myself. Link's fingers gently poke at her stomach as she cringes away from his tickling, laughing harder than before. For a moment I imagine that this is what family is supposed to be like.

But then I see a shadow lingering by the wall, and I see Lawrence watching us with distaste. When I look back at Link, my heart beating faster, Evangeline is looking up at his face while she reaches up and touches his nose, his eyes, his lips. He sits still with his eyes closed, his arms wrapped around her.

Lawrence looks disgusted.

"Could you just...wait right here for a minute...I've got to-" I say abruptly as I stand up and rush after him. He turns the corner and out of sight as Link follows me with his eyes, confusion on his face.

"Lawrence!" I call in a hushed voice as he turns his back on me.

He freezes and turns around, looking down at me coldly. "You weren't at the council meeting today. Your Father said you weren't well," he says.

"No...I was just watching over Link," I say quietly.

He takes a step back towards the corner so he can see where Link entertains Evangeline though there's anxiety in the way he holds his shoulders, in his eyes as he tries to laugh with her.

"He seems fine," Lawrence says curtly.

"Lawrence," I say running my hand over my face.

He shakes his head at me and walks right past into the garden. He walks with his head up, his nose in the air past Link and Evangeline, and continues on. He doesn't acknowledge a single person. Link looks at me with a question in his eyes, he's wondering what happened. But I don't know what to say because my whole world I've built these past three years, this whole lie is unraveling. I ache to be able to lay my head on his shoulder and tell him everything, but what would that mean for Lawrence? What would my Father do to me, or worse...to him?

That fear is why I run the other direction, leaving him alone.

* * *

I stand on the balcony, looking up at the same stars that have looked down on us for hundreds of years. Some of them are so far away, they're probably not even around anymore, but we're just receiving their light now. The wind is light, refreshing, but still manages to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up straight. Or, I think it's the wind until I feel Lawrence breathing on my neck behind me, and suddenly my heart starts racing.

"Nice night," he says.

"Hmm," I murmur as I look down over the rolling hills.

He rests his hands on my shoulders and presses his lips to my neck, a gesture which could have been reassuring but wasn't. I shrug him off and he backs up with a sigh of impatience.

"I'm tired...I think I'm going to go to bed," I say, brushing past him back into our room.

He follows me silently, taking his spot beside me under the covers. I turn over and stare out the window but I can feel him watching me. "Goodnight," I say just so he'll go to sleep.

He leans over me and whispers in my ear, "Goodnight." He touches his lips to my cheek and moves down to my jaw, my throat. His arm winds around my waist, gripping me uncomfortably close to him.

"Lawrence...stop," I say uncertainly, taking his arm and trying to push it away.

In one swift move, he pulls me so that I'm laying on my back, and pins me down as he straddles my waist, his hands holding down my wrists. "Why is it, tell me, that I'm not allowed to kiss my fiancee?" he asks angrily.

"I'm just tired tonight," I retort, struggling against his grip.

"You're tired every night, you don't ever let me near you, you don't even let me hold your hand. You haven't let me in since Evangeline!" he whispers urgently, his fury growing as he squeezes my wrists tighter.

"Lawrence, you know I don't want to have another baby. I don't want to risk anything," I say, "you know that."

"Because holding you is going to get you pregnant," he says sarcastically.

"Lawrence, stop-" I try.

"You know what I find peculiar?" he asks, suddenly nonchalant, though his grip doesn't relax.

I don't answer, just try to squirm away from him.

He takes my silence and continues, "I find it odd that I have dark hair, dark eyes...dominant traits, and yet, Evangeline has blonde hair and blue eyes. Both of my parents, also have the same dark brown traits. But still, my own daughter took on both traits of her Mother, despite it being against genetic probability to do so."

"The Hylian royal bloodline is strong," I say, trying to suck myself through the bed and onto the floor to escape him.

"Hmm, yes that's what I told myself too for the past two years...and then today when I saw her and Link in the garden...they have the exact same profile. The same nose, the same ears, the same smile. The same blue eyes and blonde hair. What a coincidence, isn't it darling?" he says, acid leaking into his words.

"Lawrence, stop, please. She is yours, you remember that night," I say as tears spring to my eyes.

So quickly I can't stop it, the back of his hand slaps my cheek. I take the moment of freedom to clutch at my stinging face as a cry bursts past my lips. "Don't lie to me!" he shouts.

"Let me go!" I scream.

He rolls off of me and watches as I scramble for the doorway. "You're going to him, aren't you?"

"I need to be away from you," I say through a sob, clutching my cheek.

A flash of anger passes over his face as he lunges off the bed towards me. I let out a shriek of terror and escape through the door, closing it quickly behind me and sprinting down the hall. I don't hesitate, trying to decide what to do. I know where I'll go because I only know one place to go.

* * *

_**LINK**_

"Link!" I hear a scream from the other side of my door, quick knocks from the other side waking me quickly.

I pull myself out of bed, concern creasing my brow, and whip open the door. She throws herself into my arms as soon as she can, burying her head in my chest as her body shakes.

"Close the door," she says urgently. She backs away from me for a moment and closes the door securely behind her, twisting the lock.

"Zelda, what happened?" I ask.

She's crying too hard, she tries to speak but her words are lost amongst the tears. I cradle her in my arms and try to calm her down, murmuring soothing words in her ear.

She settles down just enough to blurt out words of terror, "He hit me!"

My heart stops, my eyes growing wide as I see the red mark on her face, as I realize who she's talking about. "What? Are you – are you going to be alright?" I ask, distraught.

"I don't know, I'm so scared. I don't know what to do," she says, tears rushing down her cheeks, her brow knitted together.

I shake my head, "Come here." I pull her towards me and hold her face against my shoulder.

"Don't let go of me," she sobs.

"I won't, I'm right here," I say quietly.

"Don't let go of me," she repeats.

"I've got you," I murmur.

I kiss her hair and lead her quivering body over to my bed. She sits down but refuses to let my arm go.

"What happened?" I ask gently.

"I don't know, we were just talking," she mutters through hiccups.

"Do you want me to tell your Father? Get one of the guards?"

She tangles one of her hands in her hair, conflict on her face, "No, I don't know what to do. I'm so scared Link."

"It's alright...try to calm down," I say.

She bursts out into another sob, her body shaking, "I can't go back there. I don't know what to do," she manages to say.

But suddenly both of us are silenced as a loud thumping on the door echoes throughout the room. We both freeze, Zelda claps a hand over her mouth to suppress her cries. I get up slowly and she grips my hand in both of hers.

"No! Don't go, don't let him in!" She whispers, the terror on her face so real.

"I'm not going to let him hurt you, I'm going to make him leave, okay?" I say quietly.

Another loud thumping on he door.

"No, please! Please just stay here Link," she says, choking back her fear.

I take her face in between my hands and look into her eyes, spilling with terror. "He won't hurt you, I'm going to make him turn around and leave, alright? It'll be fine."

She shakes her head at me, refusing to let go of my hand.

"Go wait in the corner, okay? I won't tell him you're here," I say, trying to assure her she'll be alright.

I turn away so she has no other option but to go and hide. My heart is pounding by the time I get to the door, I put on my most tired expression and creak the door open, looking at a fuming Lawrence with half opened eyes. He throws open the door as soon as he can and winds up, landing a fist right on my cheekbone. I stumble backwards onto the ground, looking over at Zelda who sits in the corner by the wardrobe hugging her knees, a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming.

Lawrence kneels down, leaning over me and grabs the collar of my shirt, lifting me up to look into his face. "Where is she?" he demands.

"What...who are you talking...Zelda?" I ask vaguely, my face throbbing.

"Don't give me that, you know who I'm talking about," he spits in my face.

"Lawrence, stop. I don't understand what's going on," I say.

"Is. She. Here?" he yells.

"No!" I shout back.

He lets go of me, dumping me back on the floor and peers around the room. He clenches his jaw, not seeing her in the darkness, and turns around, slamming the door on his way out. She sits for a few moments, paralyzed in the corner as I lay on the ground holding my face.

"Link," she whispers though the sound barely makes it past her lips.

"I'm alright," I murmur, though I think my cheekbone is broken.

She crawls over to me and pries my hand away to look. A sob bubbles past her mouth as her eyes rake over it, tears roll down her cheeks, one of them still red and swollen from earlier. She cradles my head in her lap, gently easing me into her arms, and cries into my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," she mutters past her tears.

"I'm fine," I say again as my head grows heavy, "it's going to be alright."

But I know it won't be. I consider the fact that she'll be safer if I leave. But when I see her face, red from where he hit her, I know that she won't be. I know that she's too fragile to be left alone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi dear people. Okay sorry again it's been so long. I swear after this next weekend my life will be a lot slower and thus I shall have more time to write. Alas, this segment is a tad short, and it ends rather briefly, but I felt bad that I hadn't updated in so long so I thought I should put this up before the technical end of the weekend. I hope you do appreciate this and just so you know, this by no means means that the conflict is close to being resolved so don't start celebrating yet. Just a warning. Cue the reading.**

* * *

_**LINK**_

"Link?"

My body freezes as I recognize the voice requesting my attention. My hand stops moving, the brush in my hand pausing on the horse's back. I turn around slowly and find him standing in the doorway of the stables, something like pain in his eyes.

"May I have a word?" he asks.

"Of course," I say, setting the brush down on a stool, and brushing my pants off.

He inches forward, his body rigid as if this is taking every ounce of his willpower to do. "I would like to apologize first and foremost."

"My Lord. You need apologize for nothing," I say because it is necessary. Someone of a higher status than I isn't required to be sorry for anything.

"Lawrence," he says, "call me Lawrence."

I nod, waiting for him to say something else. He doesn't leave, so I stand in the thick silence, biting the inside of my cheek.

"I'm sorry about your eye," he says, gesturing with a casual wave of his hand to my face, purple and grey with a red tear across my cheekbone. I open my mouth to tell him again that he doesn't need to be sorry but he silences me with; "Please, don't. I truly do feel awful and I would feel much better about it if you would accept my apology or at least acknowledge it rather than tell me I needn't apologize."

"In that case, I accept your apology," I say quietly, solemnly.

He waits again, the awkward silence causing him to fidget.

"Well, if that's all my Lord, then you probably have duties to attend to that I don't wish to keep you from," I say.

"Please, call me Lawrence. And no...I need to speak to you of something I believe you and only you can help me with. I presume that you and Zelda are...close," he manages to get out.

"One of my closest friends, yes," I say, carefully choosing my words.

"And she probably confides in you," he suggests.

"Sometimes, though not all the time by any means. She's a woman, and as we all know, a woman's heart is often a secret. And we can't often interpret a woman's heart to begin with," I say with an easy laugh.

He chuckles back. "Yes, but...I know that she does not love me. That much did not take me long to determine."

I hesitate, "Lawrence-"

"No...It's true. I can see in her eyes when she looks at me she is thinking of somebody else. I am no fool, Link. What I want to ask you is...did you ever...love her?" he asks uneasily.

I look down at my hands, a smile playing at the corner of my lips. "We were young. I felt something for her but...she never did for me. It was just a crush, hormones." I say with a shrug.

"So then. Nothing ever...happened, did it?" he asks, and I can see that this conversation is eating him from the inside out.

"Sir?" I ask, slightly confused.

"Did something happen between you and her before you left for the war?" he says, something snapping inside of him as the question finally makes itself apparent.

I wait. My heart stops, my breath catching. I weigh what could happen if I tell him the truth, I weigh what could happen if I don't. I shake my head, "No."

The look on his face is almost disappointment, and I wonder if he wanted the answer to be yes so he could justify what he did.

"Are you telling me the truth?" he asks, avoiding eye contact with me. I cringe, opening my mouth to try and defend myself when he suddenly interrupts me, "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate of me. Disregard that last question."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"I just...I saw the way she looked at you. I know that you mean a lot to her. And I just saw Evangeline, and I saw the resemblance she had to you..."

What? That's why he was upset? He thought that she was...mine?

"...And then I realized that it wasn't you I was seeing in her. It was Zelda...do you think that there is a similar gene in those granted with the gifts of the Goddesses?"

No...I don't. I never saw it before, that the little girl's eyes I looked into were so familiar because they are the eyes that I see when I look in the mirror every morning.

"...She is my daughter though, Zelda reminds me of it everyday. She has my personality..."

Zelda is hiding. She's hiding behind her Father, behind stupid excuses to Lawrence. Things are clicking. Why she forgot me so quickly. Why I was thought to be dead. The little girl...just older than two years old. Three years ago I left for the war. But the night before...

"I lied to you before," I say suddenly in the midst of Lawrence's babbling.

"Pardon me?" he asks.

"It wasn't just when we were kids. I...I loved her up until before the war. But she's the Princess. And I'm, well. I'm just a commoner. She never let it go anywhere because she respects her duty. In turn...well she never fell in love with me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth before. It doesn't change anything between her and I," I say.

He hesitates, processing what I just said. "I understand. Thank you Link. I would be honored if you'd be present at our wedding. I don't know if you were formally invited yet or not."

"Of course," I say, "the honor would be mine."

"Well, until then," he says and leaves me alone in the stables again.

I try to figure it out. Evangeline, two years and maybe one or two months old. Add nine months and that brings us up to about three years. Almost the exact time I spent in the army.

Lawrence was right.

_**

* * *

**_

ZELDA

I walk silently through the night, my hood up, hiding from casual glances. He's right where he said he'd be, underneath the tree that we used to sit under in the summer when it was hot outside. My heart beat starts to quicken as I wonder what he wants to talk to me about, I fear that he's letting me know that he's leaving. I assume he'll go back to Malon, maybe they'll even get married, have children. And then he won't even know about Evangeline because I would never want to ruin the opportunity he'll have to live a normal life with her. He looks distraught as I draw nearer and he speaks before I can.

"I need to know something," he says, not wasting any time.

"What is it?" I ask, my voice quivering.

"The night before the war...was that the night...you...Evangeline was...conceived?" he asks and I can see tears in his eyes.

My breath catches. How...I didn't slip once, I never said anything about her. I always stood by my story that it was Lawrence.

"Am I the father?" he asks as a tear spills out of his eye and hits the ground.

I feel tears start to gather in my own eyes. This is all I ever wanted and now it's threatening to tear apart everything I've built for the past three years. Everything is in jeopardy now. "My father was so angry," I burst out through a sob.

Link puts his face in his hands and shakes softly, cries of pain being silenced by the hands covering his mouth.

"I told him I was pregnant and then he brought Lawrence into the picture so I could make everyone believe it was him. He didn't want the whole country to think I was some slut who was sleeping around," I cry.

"All this time," he murmurs.

"I wanted to tell you, but then I found out you were dead. I had no other choice," I say quietly, despair squeezing my heart until it hurts.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he demands, and I can see the pain in his eyes, the anger, "Why didn't you tell me when I got back?"

"Because I was scared! I'd spent almost three years thinking you were dead, thinking I'd never have to confront it. But then there you were, and I wanted you so much more than Lawrence. And I panicked and told myself that telling you would only hurt you because we can't be together," I explain as tears rush down my face.

"Are you going to spend the rest of your life living by what your Father says you can and can't do? You realize the only reason we're not together now is because your Father doesn't want it," he shouts.

"He said he was going to kill you!" I yell back, "I didn't want to watch the man I loved die because I was too selfish!"

"Well he tried to do that anyways didn't he," he says quietly, though the anger still resides in his voice. He's right though, my Father didn't think anyone would survive the war.

"Because he watched me think of you day in and day out and turn away suitors and tear myself apart because you weren't there. He watched me cry myself to sleep after we'd fight about you."

"You're scared of what it'll do to your reputation if you're with me," he says flatly.

I gasp because I realize for the first time that he's right. I never fought for him. I didn't turn away Lawrence and accept that my baby's Father was fighting in the war and might never come home. I accepted my Father's plan because it saved the way people would look at me.

"I'm sorry," Link says immediately, "that was rude. It's not true-"

"It is," I say.

"What?"

"You're right. I didn't want people to think about me the way I thought they would. I didn't want them to see the princess who got pregnant by some boy who died in the war. But you're not just some boy. And now only because you saved the world," I say with a slight laugh, "but because you are better than any man out there that is eligible for me. I love you."

"I love you too," he says almost silently.

He closes the space between us with one quick step and catches the back of my neck with one hand, his other arm winding around my waist. I put my hands delicately on his jaw, drawing his mouth to me. When our lips collide it's so different than when Lawrence will kiss me. Lawrence will kiss me out of duty, to show the world that we're together. Link kisses me because he loves me. He's gentle, but rough at the same time, crushing my body against his. His lips don't attack mine, but they move in synch, slowly, perfectly, passionately. We fit so close together because we've done this a thousand times, and yet every time he touches me is like the first.

I can taste his hot breath in my mouth, sweet, fresh. Whereas Lawrence tastes like cigars and wine, Link tastes like fresh air, clean water, cinnamon. It's something that still manages to send chills down my spine, my cheeks rush with blood. He sighs in content against my lips, his teeth grazing my bottom lip as he brushes them gently against my slightly open mouth.

"Do you regret it?" he asks against my mouth.

"Regret what?" I whisper.

"Having Evangeline?"

"Of course not," I say, "because even when I thought you were gone, I had a piece of you with me. Living, breathing proof that you were a part of me. Oh, Link. I wish you could have seen her when she was born. She was beautiful," I murmur, my finger catching in his earring.

He smiles, "I wish I could have been there. Baby, I'm so proud of you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi dear people. Again, sorry this took a while to get up. I wanted to but couldn't find the right words to get out this next part. I still don't like it. But it's the version I've written that's the most satisfying to me. So yes. Again, it ends rather abruptly. I just got bored and felt bad that I hadn't updated. I know it's not even that much, but alas, I'm a lazy person. Plus rewatching Dragon Ball Z is probably the worst idea ever because you can't stop. I would advise against it. Okay. sorry. you can read now.**

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

"I just wish..." I murmur.

"Wish what?" he asks.

"I wish she could know."

"Well, why don't you tell her?" he asks, brushing away hair out of my face subconsciously.

"I don't think she'll understand. I mean, she's two and she's been calling Lawrence 'dad' since she was born...I don't know what to tell her," I say, looking at his chest instead of his face.

"And what are you going to tell Lawrence?" he asks.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...about us?" He looks uncomfortable, his brow knitting together

"Link, I can't break things off with him just like that. There's a whole other kingdom riding on our marriage-"

He drops his hands and steps away from me. "Your marriage?" he demands.

"Yes, Lawrence's kingdom and Hyrule will be tied together-" I attempt.

"Then what are you doing here Zelda? What are you doing kissing me when you have to go back up to Lawrence now and you're not going to tell him about what happened tonight? When you're going to go to your daughter tomorrow morning and you're not going to tell her who she actually is? You're just cheating Lawrence and you're cheating me," he says low and angry.

"Link, don't do this to me. Don't you dare push this on me. You have no idea what kind of pressure I'm under," I say, my heart rate quickening.

"So that's it then? We'll just go our opposite ways tomorrow and you'll marry Lawrence and I'll never see my daughter again?" he asks, and I can see tears building in his eyes again, glittering in the moonlight.

"I never said that!" I almost yell.

"Then _please_ explain to me what you mean," he says, his voice raw.

I let out a deep breath, "Link. I love you and by no means do I want to marry Lawrence over you. But I just have no idea how scared I am to talk to my Father about all of this...and Lawrence. You saw what he did to me last time. And obviously you know what he did to you."

"What do you want me to do?"

"You can't do anything...I need to do this but I just...I'm afraid of what he'll say. What if my Father hurts you?" I ask, a lump building in my throat.

His eyes grow compassionate, the way they always were before the war. The way they always were when he looked at me as our lips grew close or when he detailed his journey's to me. That night he asked me to marry him, when I was curled up in his arms under this tree while the sun went down. "Why would he hurt _you_ that way?"

"Link...he sent you off to the war in hopes that you would die there and I would move on. I don't think he's past threatening you," I explain.

"I don't want you to be afraid," he whispers, running his fingers through my hair, "but I can't do this anymore."

"Do what anymore?" I ask.

"I can't be here only when he's not. I don't want to have to hold you in secret, or hide from your father. I don't want to pretend that she's not mine...my daughter," he swallows hard, "I'll tell him."

"Who?" I ask, concern creeping into my voice.

"Your father. He needs to know that I still want you, and I don't care what I come out like on the other side but he needs to know."

"No," I say quickly, "this is a bad idea. Just let me talk to him first. Please Link, I don't want you to get hurt. When I thought you were dead I was so close to letting go of everything. I can't have that happen ever again. Ever," I say, gripping the front of his shirt.

"We need to work this out," he says.

"I know. Can we talk later? Lawrence is going to start wondering..." I trail off.

"Tomorrow? I can be there whenever," he says.

I nod, "I'll make up an excuse. I'll meet you here at nine or so tomorrow morning."

"Okay," he says gently, "Zelda?"

"What?" I whisper.

"I love you."

I lean forward and close the distance between our mouths, catching his lip in mine in an innocent kiss. His hand comes up under my chin, his warm fingers trailing down my neck to the base of my throat. He rests his palm on my chest, over top of my heart, feeling it as it thuds.

"Such a strong heart," he says when he pulls back momentarily.

"I love you," I say.

He nods, and turns away from me, concealing himself away into the night. The place where his hand once lay on my chest feels cold, like someone has pulled a blanket off of me in the early morning cold. My heart dreads climbing the stairs to my bedroom.

Once I'm inside, the late hour hits me, my eyelids starting to droop. I hardly even notice that there's someone else in the hall until a hand takes my arm and pulls me into a dark corner. I blink a few times until recognition kicks in, seeing her face but not understanding her urgency.

"Adelaide? What are you doing?" I ask.

"Shh. Miss, he came looking for you after you'd gone out. I didn't know what to do so I told him that you weren't feeling well and went down to the kitchen for some soup," she mumbles in a rushed voice.

"What? Who?" I ask.

"Lawrence! I saw you go out to him...to Link. I covered as best as I could but he must have been suspicious because he left your room a few moments after. I think he's headed down to the kitchens right now. I had to tell you in case he asks, but I think he's on his way back up. You better get there before him!" she whispers, checking over her shoulder.

I place a hand on her arm, "Thank you, Adelaide."

She nods and hurries off, not wanting to be seen. I all but sprint to my room, kicking off my shoes and untying the front of my dress. I kick it to the ground, stuffing it under the bed with my foot while I rush to the wardrobe to find a dress to wear to bed. My heart stops though as I hear the door knob jiggling, Lawrence trying to find it in the dark. It's too late, I pull a sleeping gown from my wardrobe and toss it onto the floor, trying to make it appear as though I've just taken it off, and dive into my bed, wrapping myself in the blankets as he opens the door.

He steps through and spots me laying beneath the blankets, confusion all over his face.

"Where were you?" he asks.

"The kitchens," I say innocently, going along with what Adelaide had said.

"I went down there but you weren't there..." he says suspiciously.

"I started to feel faint, so on the way back I stepped outside. I'm feeling rather feverish so I took off my gown," I say, motioning to the article of clothing at his feet.

This seemed to spark his interest. He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it to the floor beside my dress, kneeling on the bed. He put his hand on my forehead, "You are feeling rather warm my dear."

I sigh, grateful for the fever that all that running has produced and pull the covers up to my shoulders, realizing with his close proximity that I'm only in my underwear. He climbs under the covers as well, letting his arm snake around my bare body. This is enough to send chills up my spine in discomfort.

"Zelda, I don't think I ever got to apologize for last night. I don't know what happened. And I want you to know that...that I'm in love with you Zelda. And that what happened will never happen again. What I did to you was unspeakable and I regret it completely," he says.

I try to keep the surprise out of my voice, "Sweetheart, it's fine. I forgive you."

He turns me in his arms so that I'm facing him and places a kiss on my lips. It's the most gentle kiss that Lawrence has ever given me, that's for sure, and something in it makes me actually want to forgive him. It makes me feel as though he is sorry. He takes a new spin on it though when he parts my lips with his, deepening it completely. This is something I've never felt from him, and it sends a shooting pain through my heart. He puts his hand on my hip and pulls me closer to him, that's when I put my hand on his chest and push him gently back.

"Should I have them send up a bottle of wine?" he asks.

"No Lawrence. I'm not feeling well," I say.

"Zelda...we're to be married in a few weeks. What is your excuse going to be on our wedding night?" he asks in my ear.

I scowl though he can't see, "By then we'll be married. It will be acceptable."

"Don't you want to?" he asks incredulously.

"Lawrence, I don't feel well," I say again, slowly this time so that he'll understand.

"Zelda, can I ask you something?" he asks, pulling his face back to look at me, but pulling my body even closer to him.

"I suppose," I say.

"Do you love me?" he asks.

Oh no. What do I do? Do I lie? Do I tell the truth? Which is more dangerous? I hesitate, I can see him waiting, waiting for a response. How do I get out of this situation?

I put my hands around his waist and crush my lips against his.

Oh no! Why did I do that?

He responds enthusiastically, misjudging my dodging of his question as a 'yes.' He tangles his fingers in my hair as I try to slow the kiss down, put it on a simmer. In the end that seems to stimulate a response from him even more, his mouth opening to mine. I try not to gag as his tongue touches my lips. He takes my leg in his hand, hiking it up to his hip. I try to resist at first but then decide if I give him enough that he'll let me be for the rest of the night. His hand winds around my back, carefully climbing up between my shoulder blades. My mind and body work together in half a second to shove his arm back down, out of reach of unclothing me.

I back away, pulling my leg off of him and sit up. "I'm sorry," he says.

I stand up and walk over to our pile of clothes feeling his eyes watch me, hardly wearing anything, and pick up my sleeping gown and pull it over my head, grateful for when it's silky material cascades down my skin. He sighs deeply, frustration in his voice.

I walk back to the bed and kneel on the end, crawling over to him. I place a quick kiss on his lips and say, "I don't want you to be tempted."

He scoffs. "That's why you're straddling me?"

My eyes widen as I glance down at the stance I've taken, quickly replacing myself beside him. "Look, I should get some rest."

He sighs again, "I wish I wasn't so drunk."

"What? You're drunk?" I ask.

"No, not tonight...that night when you got pregnant," he says with a wave of his hand.

"Oh," I say, trying to hide my guilt at the amount of alcohol I'd gotten down his throat.

"I wish I could remember it. I mean, I remember taking you up here after the party so I was already intoxicated, and you had a bottle of wine that we got down in about five minutes. And then we started kissing on the bed and you took off your dress and then you said we needed another bottle. And after that thing was gone...I just don't remember anything," he says.

I remember ordering the second bottle. Because at the time my intention was to go through with it and I didn't want him to remember it clearly because I didn't want him to notice how much I hated it. I remember while he was gulping down his share of alcohol I was tossing mine into the fireplace. I remember pushing him onto the bed and then he passed out. Unfortunately...I still had to go through with waking up beside him, wearing nothing, and explaining to him what happened, pretending to be happy about it.

I remember wishing it wasn't him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello dear readers. This week I bring you a piece that is slightly amped up. I found some inspiration and I ran with it so it may come off a little strangely but it's what you get when you mix me and a random idea. This week and probably the next couple weeks to follow, the relationships will kinda take a back seat. Sorry if that saddens you. I mean, essentially beneath it all it's always about the relationships but it's not going to be Link and Lawrence duking it out over Zelda this time. :) I may even update again tomorrow, we'll see how wild I'm feeling. Begin. (Does anyone actually read this little blurb before they start reading?)**

* * *

**LINK**

She's already standing under the tree by the time I get there, hidden underneath her cloak and a veil of fog. She looks relieved to see me and gathers me in her arms when I draw near enough.

"Where will we go?" she whispers in my ear.

"To the woods, no one will find us there," I say, taking her by the hand and leading her to Epona, "we'll take the way through death mountain rather than cutting through the field, that way no one will spot us."

She nods and I quicken my pace, trying to escape the grounds before the fog lifts. I hope we'll have time for it to take us with it.

"What did you tell everyone?" I ask in a hushed tone.

"That I was entering the chamber of the sages to consult with the others about the state of the country. Not even my guards can follow me in there. Once I was in the temple, I climbed out a window," she explains.

I feel my mouth drop open in proud shock, "You climbed out a window?"

Her lips quirk into a smile, "I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty."

I smirk at her and help her onto Epona's back, "I know you're not."

She smiles back at me but I don't have time to climb on Epona after her. I suck in a quick breath, an aching pain squeezing at my side. My hand claps against it and it soon subsides. I shake my head and rub the sore spot away until I barely notice it anymore, the ghost of pain the only remnant.

"What's wrong?" she asks, looking concerned.

"It's nothing," I mutter, "just a pain in my side."

"That's where you were stabbed," she says making note of my hand clutching at my stomach, "maybe it's a phantom pain."

"Yeah, it's fine now," I say, climbing on in front of her.

"Are you sure?" she asks skeptically.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say.

She doesn't argue, just wraps her arms around my waist and lays her head on my back as I kick my heels into Epona's side and we're off.

* * *

We follow the narrow tunnel until finally we see light spilling through the other end. I remember finding these passages for the first time and expecting them to lead to a hidden village, however I ended up in Goron City. There was another that led to Zora's Domain but I didn't particularly feel like a swim, plus Ruto was always intent on making me stay for longer than what I'd initially intended. The forest is still quiet, few birds chirping in the trees overhead. We go to the Sacred Forest Meadow, the place where Saria used to sit, vacant. I didn't expect her to be here, she was so involved with the work of the sages these days, but my heart still sinks a little.

Zelda unties the cape around her neck and lets it fall to the ground, revealing a flowing white dress. Though, it isn't quite white, there's a hint of coral, a peachy pink in the material that floats out from her waist. The flowers of material on the small of her back where the skirt gather are the same color. It's strapless, unlike any dress I've ever seen her in, exposing her shoulders and back.

She walks past me, and I wait and watch her walk slowly to the center of the meadow, kneeling in the grass as her dress floats out around her. I follow her and kneel beside her, though I face her as she stares straight ahead.

"I'm afraid," she says softly.

"Why?" I ask, just so she can confirm what I suspect.

"Because I don't expect that this will change things, talking to Lawrence, to my father," she says as she lets her fingers play in the grass.

I let out a humorless laugh, "I know. But on the off chance it does, it'll be worth it."

She finally looks at me, "I know."

"You're so beautiful," I say almost silently. I don't know what caused me to say it, but once it's out I can't retract it.

She reaches out her hand and touches my cheek, it's one of the few times her hand doesn't have a glove on it. Her skin is soft. Her hand trails down my neck to my shoulder and she walks on her knees closer to me, using the easiest of pressure to push me back onto the grass. She follows, laying on top of me, her white gold hair creating a curtain around us. I compulsively lift my arms and wind them around her waist as she plays with my hair.

"Do you worry that they will try to have you killed?" she asks.

"No," I say immediately, "if anything, you will marry Lawrence and I'll keep trying from the sidelines. But now that I have you and Evangeline, I'm not just going to leave."

"What are you going to say to my father?"

"That I have the right to my own child," I answer.

She touches a gentle subconscious kiss to my chin, "You make a good argument."

"Well, I can use that against your father because he knows. What about Lawrence?" I ask.

She pauses for a moment, pressing her lips to my jaw, "I think I should be the one to talk to him."

I hesitate, "I think I'd rather take the beating in the moment than have it come out of nowhere. Maybe I should tell him."

She shakes her head, "I'm the one who's been lying to him all this time. It's me who should finally tell him the truth."

"And what of your wedding Zelda? You said that the other kingdom..." I trail off.

"I know...that's what I'm the most worried about because the consequences aren't just going to affect us," she says.

"So what are you going to do?"

She waits, chewing on her lip. "What do you think the rules are concerning two united kingdoms and divorce?"

I narrow my eyes.

"I'm joking," she says quickly.

I let out a sigh of relief and wait for her serious answer.

"How about," she finally continues, "that we tell my father, and we tell Lawrence, and we figure things out from there."

"Zelda, you can't expect-" I attempt.

But I'm cut off as she puts her lips in mine. Her fingers find each other around the back of my neck as she secures herself to me, moving her lips in synch with mine. Her delicate fingers trail over my skin, causing the hair on my neck to stand up, causing me to grip her tighter. I don't expect it when she touches her tongue to my lips, I arch my back, pressing our chests so close together that I can feel her heart thudding against mine, and deepen the kiss, allowing her to explore my mouth should she choose to do so.

She's tentative at first, and soon pulls away. At first I think that I've offended her, or maybe scared her, but she just moves her lips to my ear, pulling on my earlobe as her tongue catches on my earring. She's gasping in my ear and I suck in a deep breath, trying to slow my heart as my hands find her hips. She puts her hands back on my chest and sits up for a moment, straddling my waist when my breath hitches and the same piercing pain I felt earlier shoots through my stomach. She's gathering her dress around her hips as to allow her more freedom when I start to squirm in pain, my hands releasing her and clutching my side. I pull my knees up slightly and dig my heels into the earth, squeezing my eyes shut as the pain slices through me again.

"Link?" she asks desperately.

She unbuckles the belt around my waist, wide eyed. Moments earlier I would have helped her, but now I know she's just trying to find out what's hurting me. She lifts up my tunic to around my abdomen and lets out a shriek, clapping her hands to her mouth.

"What is it?" I manage to say through gritted teeth.

"I don't know," she manages to get out, the fear in her eyes so tangible.

It feels like something inside of me is trying to tear it's way out, trying to rip me open. I let out a scream of pain as my back arches, willing it to stop.

She collapses forward onto me again, putting her hand above my face so that it doesn't quite touch it. She presses her index finger to the space between my eyebrows and says some unintelligible words, fast and low. We're enveloped in white light and I get the sensation in my stomach that we're falling fast. I don't feel the jolt as if we've landed or hit the ground, but suddenly I'm lying on a cold stone floor, and there are multiple voices surrounding us, voices of confusion and panic.

"Please!" Zelda is saying, and when I open my eyes I recognize the walls and chandeliers of the castle. We're in one of the hallways, not too far from the hospital wing I would guess.

I'm heaved off of my back and rushed down a hallway as Zelda tries to explain vaguely what's wrong with me though her words don't seem to make sense. The doctors lay me down on a table, cutting through my tunic to see what caused Zelda so much distress. They don't seem to know what to do either as they watch me, writhing in pain. Eventually, as if as a last resort, the doctor sticks a needle into my arm and my consciousness slips away.

* * *

**ZELDA**

"What's going on? What is that?" I demand.

"Princess, please, we don't know what's happening to him. We're going to try and find out," the doctor says.

I stare down at him, suddenly unconscious though the crease between his eyebrows remains. The pink line of a scar where he'd been stabbed is deep red, the veins and blood vessels prominent beneath the stark skin as if there's no blood running through them. But that's not what scares me the most. What scares me is the nearly black stain stretching across his abdomen, following the line of the scar.

"Is he going to die?" I ask, my chin quivering.

"Princess, I don't know yet. I can't even assess what is happening to his body," he says.

"What _is_ happening to his body?" I shout.

"Dayna," he says to one of the nurses, "take her."

She takes me by the arms and tries to sweep me out of the room, using those gentle words that are supposed to make you feel comforted. I just feel like throwing up. Suddenly I'm sitting in a chair outside of the hospital wing, she's saying something but I don't know what. I'm trying to figure out what happened to him, the Goddesses had healed him, this couldn't be any infection, could it? She mentions Lawrence's name and suddenly she's gone, leaving me in the chair alone where the chaotic world behind the wall is silenced.

Lawrence shows up about ten minutes later though I can't be sure, everything felt much longer than it probably was. He's kneeling in front of me, concern coloring his face.

"What happened, Zelda? They said something happened to Link...I thought you said you were in the chamber of the sages but they said you brought him in," he murmurs, laying a reassuring hand on my knee.

"I felt something wrong. The triforce was acting up. When I used their power to find him, I found him on the ground...dying," I lie.

"What happened to him?" he asks.

"I don't know," I say when tears come to my eyes. I look finally at his face and he does look genuinely concerned, "I don't know."

"Hey," he says catching my face against his shoulder, "he's going to be okay. He's pulled through before."

He sits in the chair beside me and holds my hand, waiting as I pace back and forth and pound on the door of the hospital, demanding entrance. He watches in silence as I collapse in front of the locked door and cry. I don't know what makes him stay, but it fills me with guilt. I don't have long to contemplate on the matter though when the lock clicks on the door and it swings open, the doctor on the other side looking no less confused than when I'd seen him about an hour ago.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"To be perfectly honest Princess, we're still unaware of what's happened to him. We've given him some antibiotics for now though we don't know what kind of infection – if it is at all – that we're dealing with. He's got a fever and chills, an indication that his body is trying to fight off whatever it is, it's fighting hard. It'll take a bit of time to know if the drugs are making any difference," he explains.

"Is he awake?" I ask.

"Yes, he's on some pain medication right now but he's awake. I might need the anesthesia for if surgery is required. I'm going to need to send for more materials, but we're working on it."

"Thank you," is all I can say before I push past him to find Link.

I find him laying in one of the beds. His lips are pale, a thin sheen of sweat on his face though he's shaking violently, his teeth chattering together. His hair is damp, sticking to his forehead and neck. I sit on the stool left beside his bed and take a bowl of water and cloth that were sitting on a table into my hands, pressing the cold cloth to his face and neck. Lawrence enters a few moments after, walking with hesitancy, his face in a grimace as he watches the trembling man flinch under my touch. I pull the cloth away and find it warm, the cold water no use against his burning skin. I put the bowl of water back on the table and lay the back of my hand across his forehead, finding it sizzling, hotter than any fever I've had to endure, hotter than any fever I've ever felt.

He lets out a sudden cry of pain when our skin contacts each other and I wonder if it's the contrast between the temperature of our skin, or the fact that every inch of his body is probably aching. I don't understand how this happened. He had been fine just a few hours ago. The speed with which the infection took him isn't normal. There has to be more at work than that.

He gasps and his eyes flash open under the sudden jolt of pain. He stares at the roof, his mouth open as if he's screaming in horror though no sound comes out. His eyes are glossy, the blue of them faded to a milky grey. Everything about him doesn't seem human right now, and it scares me. His hands are clenched at his sides holding handfuls of sheets, his heels digging into the bed, every muscle tensed.

"Shh," I try to say but my throat feels as if it's closing, watching him writhe it pain. "It's going to be alright."

Suddenly, warm hands are on my shoulders, easing me up off the stool. "Come on, you don't need to stay here and watch him like this," Lawrence says softly in my ear.

"But, he's-" I try to say as my eyes start to sting with tears, "he's hurting. I don't want to leave him alone."

"I'll get a nurse to give him some more pain medication. He's going to be alright Zelda," he assures me.

"No he won't, this isn't normal, this isn't right," I say, the words spilling from my mouth.

"What do you mean? He's sick-" he tries to say.

"I need to talk to my father, maybe he'll know what's happening to him," I say quickly, shrugging off his hands and rushing out of the room.

He doesn't try to stop me, and out of his reach I let the tears of anxiety I've been attempting to hold back go. They're a way of reflecting people away from me, because no one wants to deal with a sobbing princess.

"Dad," I say, bursting through the doors, not bothering to knock in case he's in a meeting.

"Zelda?" he asks, looking up from a letter he was writing, his glasses on the end of his nose.

"It's Link, there's something wrong with him," I explain.

"I don't understand."

"I need you to help him," I say urgently.

"Zelda, what's happening?" he asks.

"There's something that's hurting him and I don't know what it is, I need your help."

"Zelda-"

"Dad, he's dying!" I shout.

He's silent, and I put my face in my hands as a sob comes up my throat.

He clears his throat, "I'm not a doctor, Zelda."

"This isn't something a doctor knows how to fix. I think this is some kind of magic...black magic," I say hesitantly.

He sighs heavily, "Black magic...Zelda, that's unheard of since Ganondorf was sealed away."

"But Dad, I saw it, it's like all the blood has been sucked out of his body and replaced with black ink," I describe, "like he's been touched by a demon."

His head jerks up to look at me, "A demon?"

"Or something worse. The creatures from the other side maybe. The Twilight," I say.

"Zelda, I need you to listen very closely to me. Back when Ganondorf was in power, he found a way to travel to and from the Twilight Realm. It's possible he's used their magic to try and destroy Link. His followers could have done this," he says.

"The Gerudo thieves! Link says when he was attacked it was a band of Gerudos!" I say, my eyes wide.

"Ganon must have found a way of communicating with his allies from the other side. How would they know how to use the dark magic otherwise?" he muses.

"Do you really think this could be what's killing him?" I ask.

"I think it is entirely possible," he says, gazing into the corner of the room.

"What can I do?"

He pauses and meets my eyes, studying my face with a look of deep regret, "I don't think you should do anything, Zelda."

My mouth drops open, my brow furrowing, "What?"

"This is a life that will follow him no matter what he does. Do you ever think that maybe, he'd be happier if you just let him go?" he asks solemnly.

"No," I say immediately, "no. I don't."

"You're not doing this for him. You're doing this for yourself because you're afraid of losing him. You are afraid of being without him," he says.

"Are you insane?" I demand, "I don't know the last time he told me he wanted to die!"

"Zelda, he's sick and he won't be the same even if you can save him. This can't be cured by human medicine," he says.

"He'll still be Link," I say firmly.

"No he won't. Even now he's changing into something not compatible with life here. You will most likely be too late," he says so gently that it's eerie.

"Tell me how to save him!" I yell.

"Let him go," he says.

"Tell me!" I scream.

"It will be easier this way. You can marry Lawrence without being held back by your feelings for Link."

"If you don't tell me how to fix him, I will never marry Lawrence," I say, tears falling to the floor, "you can count on that."

He must see the seriousness in my face because he pulls a new piece of parchment in front of him and quickly begins scribbling, "There's a witch I know in Termina, studied in cures for curses and magical ills. She may be able to help."

He folds the note in half and seals it closed, handing it to me. "Thank you," I whisper.

"Give this to the postman, it's a note explaining our situation. If we hurry we might be able to receive a cure in time," he says.

"No, Dad. I'll go. We won't make it if I don't," I say.

"Zelda, I don't want you riding all that way by yourself," he says, "it's too dangerous."

"I have to, I'll be fine," I say, wiping my eyes on the back of my hand.

His mouth seals into a tight line and he lets out a deep breath through his nose. "Be safe sweetheart."

"Thank you, Dad."

I hurry into my room, throwing some supplies into a bag. Some food, water, a rain cloak. I change into riding clothes and put a scarf and gloves on followed by my thickly woven coat. I sigh when I realize that my favorite one had been left in the sacred forest meadow, but know that it'll take too long to retrieve it, my powers I used earlier to warp Link and I back to the castle depleted what energy I could have used to along this journey to make it faster.

"You're going?"

I turn, startled by the voice and find Lawrence standing in the doorway.

"There's a witch in Termina that I'm going to for something that will help Link," I say, turning back to my wardrobe as I stuff an extra pair of gloves and socks into my bag.

"By yourself?" he asks, his voice resigned.

"It'll be fastest. I need to be going now, but I'll see you when I get back," I say, slinging the bag over my shoulder.

"Good luck," he says, "I'll make sure he's alright until you get back."

"Thank you," I say, walking over to him and winding my arms around his neck.

He presses his lips to the curve between my neck and shoulder, "Come back safe."

"I will," I say, "tell Evangeline that mommy will be back soon. I don't think I can say goodbye to her."

"Of course," he says, letting go of me.

"I'll see you soon," I say, leaving the room.

Through the closed door I hear him say 'I love you,' but I pretend I don't hear it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi. So going back and re-reading this through I realize I made a lot of random errors which is really embarassing. Like once I put 'are' instead of 'our' and I was so disappointed in myself. *face palm* So I'm really sorry to all of those who have read diligently and came across a line that makes no sense because of silly things like that. I also realized that like, 8/9 of these chapters I've said sorry for not having it up earlier. That's kind of annoying of me, so sorry about that too. Also, some people as of late have been hating on my plot, but this is not supposed to be 100% accurate to the game, so just take that into account if you have made it this far. Quite honestly, I could change the names of the characters, give a little more background knowledge and this story could stand on it's own. I think that's all the remarks I have. Oh and this section is quite Zelda heavy which I don't find as exciting but really what am I going to write about Link when he's like on his literal death bed? Alright, I've done a lot of talking. Take a read.**

* * *

_**LINK**_

Everything hurts.

I don't recall ever being in this much pain. Not when an arrow was sticking through my chest, not when I was on the brink of death fighting Ganon. Never this much.

Everything is foggy, when I open my eyes, the edges of everything I see are black. My breathing is labored, heavy and yet I can't manage to bring enough air into my lungs. I feel as though I'm running full out and I can't catch my breath, I'm going too fast. I feel a faint stinging in my hand and when I glance down I see one of the nurses sticking a needle into the back of my hand. My vein burns temporarily as the medication takes it's course, I bite down on my cheek as hot tears roll down my temples.

And he's sitting in the corner of the room...Lawrence. I wonder if I'm really far gone because he's here but Zelda isn't. He looks uncomfortable, and rightfully so, as he watches me. I can't imagine what I must look like right now, but I don't dwell on it; my weary mind takes me back to that night. The light that suddenly went out, the blade as it sliced through my skin, spilling hot blood onto my hands.

Something in my subconscious is triggered, and I remember seeing something that I didn't remember before. It was as I was drifting off, drifting towards my eventual death, one of the thieves, their faces shrouded in darkness, had come to my side and shoved a ragged shard of something into my open wound. I had presumed it was a piece of metal, maybe even the knife that had originally crippled me. I had thought that they had removed it when I was in the hospital. But maybe it wasn't. And maybe it wasn't a piece of metal, but perhaps it was something that's doing this to me right now.

How am I even sure that the people that attacked me were Gerudos? I mean, I had assumed it was them, rogues perhaps since the Gerudos had mostly been allies of the kingdom since Ganondorf's downfall. But I can't exactly be sure. They moved fast like the Gerudos, efficiently. But I never saw their faces.

The pain subsides until it's just a dull thudding in my bones and muscles, rather than an aggressive pounding. I take the brief moment of peace as my breathing finally slows to close my eyes, and drift off to sleep, in the back of my mind hoping I won't wake up to face this for another day.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

It's noon by the time I reach the desert. Nabooru spots me before I find her and she waltzes up to me with a wide grin on her face.

"Princess, to what do we owe the pleasure?" she asks.

"It's Link...he's very ill. I'm just passing through on my way to Ikana. I have a certain witch to pay a visit to," I say, remaining on the back of my horse.

"Link? What's the matter?" she asks, her smile quickly turning into concern.

I hesitate, "Nabooru...are there any of your people that have remained loyal to Ganondorf?"

"That fool? I can't say any of us were sad to see him go," she says, grimacing.

"It's just, Link was attacked a few nights ago. He almost died and he said he thought it might have been a band of thieves. Perhaps his followers. I have reason to believe that they attacked him with some black magic that is destroying him from the inside out," I explain.

Her eyes narrow, "If there are any here that have brought this upon The Hero of Time, I shall find out who they are. But there are none who immediately come to mind..."

"Thank you, Nabooru. But for now I must be on my way. I'm not sure how much longer he'll last," I say.

"Good luck, Princess. Be careful crossing the desert. It is not an easy path. Take this lantern to help light your way through," she says handing me the lantern hooked to her belt.

I nod, taking it from her and kicking my heels into my horse's side, sending her bolting down the slope towards the gate that leads out to the haunted wasteland. I can't deny the fact that I am terrified to take on the desert storms that have claimed many before me, but I pray for the assistance of the Goddesses, I put my trust in them.

I can hardly see anything even with the help of the lantern. It's getting dark and the air is growing cold. I know I should almost be there, through the desert and into Termina, the rockier part of the desert and the canyons. My eyelids grow heavy, and it takes every ounce of my effort to not let them roll back. I can tell my horse is exhausted, but I can't stop tonight, I can't take refuge at the inn. That could be the difference between Link's life and death. We keep walking.

Ikana is an eerie place and it raises the hair on the back of my neck. The looming spirits watch from their hiding places in silence where they are unseen to the human eye. On a normal day, this place would have been made bright by the music of the scientist that lives in the music box, but at night, the music is off, and everything is strangely quiet. I try to breathe as quietly as possible, the air coming through my mouth making small wisps of steam. I wind my way through the canyon and down onto the field, this terrain at least somewhat familiar. It reminds me much of home, the broad expansion of space, and here is where I feel comfortable enough to go at full speed.

It doesn't take me long to find the swamp of which my father spoke, I follow his directions carefully and take the ferry down to her home. She doesn't answer her door immediately and I assume she must be sleeping, it is after all the middle of the night. I pound on the door for a good ten minutes before I hear the creaking of floorboards echo throughout the house. She opens the door a crack, a candle in her hands and looks at me with a confused look on her face.

"Please," is all I say as I fumble in my bag for the piece of paper my father had given me.

"What is it? What brings you here at such an hour?" she demands with an ancient crackly voice.

"I need your help, I was told that you were a skilled potion maker," I say, handing her the piece of paper, my hands shaking from the cold.

She unfolds the paper and holds the light closer to it. Her eyes widen, as though no longer sleep deprived, and gives me a peculiar look, one of familiarity but also of concern.

"Come in," she says abruptly, pushing the door open wider.

I graciously accept, hurrying in after her, "Is there anything you can do?"

She waves a hand and suddenly the room is alight with hundreds of candles, "Your friend has befallen quite the ill fate."

"Yes, our doctors weren't-"

"No doctor can cure this," she mutters quickly.

"Which is why I came to you," I say.

"Hmm," she murmurs, scratching her head and looking around.

I wait in silence, my hands clasped together, "So...is there anything you can do?"

"Well yes of course. But his survival is entirely dependent on his body's acceptance of the antidote," she says as if it is common knowledge.

"Anything, we will try anything to save him," I say desperately.

"Hmm," she says again, fishing around in a cupboard. She plucks a couple of things from their places and mixes them together behind a counter. I can't see what she's doing but there is a light golden glow coming from her pot, the smell of burnt matches fills the air.

"Do you know what's wrong with him? Have you seen it before?" I ask, not wanting to bother her but dying to know.

"Only in premonition...though I didn't believe I'd be seeing it so soon. And the way this boy is reacting to the dark magic, it is not the same as what I've seen," she explains.

"Will it still work? The antidote I mean..."

"It all depends. What you must tell your doctors is that they must remove the piece of magic that is inside of his body. It will appear as a black shard of glass or...or a black blade," she says.

"There's something inside of him?" I ask.

"Yes, in the case I saw, once the piece of dark magic was retracted the young man returned to normal. But it is still a dangerous item and one we must destroy. When it is taken out, you must pour this solution on it, make sure it vaporizes. Then, you must make him drink the second of these concoctions, the antidote. It will eliminate whatever is left of the dark magic that still resides in him," she says, dipping a bottle into the pot of glowing fluid.

"Alright, I understand," I say.

"I do not guarantee that it will work," she reminds me, "this potion might kill him."

"He's dead anyways."

* * *

**_LINK_**

I don't know how many days have passed since I woke up last. All I know is that I'm losing myself. Everything is distant, everything that ever happened to me seems like I'm watching someone else do it. When I lose consciousness, I dream constantly. I see a land beyond this one, dark all the time, foreign beings inhabiting the land. That is where they curse the light, where it is their weakness.

The pain doesn't subside anymore, the pain medication makes no affect on what's inside of me now. Despite all of the pain, I feel the most sorry for the nurses, the ones that have to keep changing the cloth on my forehead, the ones that have to hold the bucket when I throw up first food, then bile, then blood. I don't expect that I'll make it, in fact I've come to terms with the fact that I won't. I just want it to end.

There's a commotion about the nurses and the doctors, and at first I hope that my heart is slowing, I'm showing signs of my inevitable death, that I'm finally going. But then I hear a voice, one that is so familiar to me and I wish that she didn't have to see me now, as I'm leaving.

I wish I could tell her that I love her, but words don't form themselves anymore. I'm that far gone.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

I burst through the doors, my legs quaking, my heart pounding. I don't know if he's still alive or not, I've been gone for the better part of two days. I can only hope. The doctor is in front of my in an instant and the words are coming out of my mouth as fast as I can speak them, "You have to operate and remove the thing that's doing this to him. If you don't he will die."

The doctor with wide eyes nods at me and quickly informs the nurses, who are quick to collect everything the doctor will need. I'll let him know further details as he goes, but right now our priority is to get that thing out of him.

Link, on his bed, is hardly recognizable. His face is almost grey, his hair tangled and damp. But his appearance isn't what surprises me the most, nor is the fact that he's still living. What confuses me the most is the fact that sitting in a chair a few feet away from him, is Lawrence. He glances over and catches my eyes, standing quickly as relief flushes his face.

"Oh Zelda," he says in a sigh, gathering me in his arms, "I was so worried."

"I'm alright...I'm alright," I murmur, trying to soothe him, "what are you doing here?"

He pulls back, his hand remaining in my hair, "I was watching him for you...making sure he was okay since you couldn't be here."

Tears sting the back of my eyes and my nose starts to tingle with what is only oncoming tears. I haven't slept in over forty-eight hours and now I'm being faced with the single kindest thing that he has ever done for me. It's too much. I burst into tears and collapse back into his embrace.

"Hey, he's going to be fine. Trust me," Lawrence says into my ear.

"How can you be sure?" I ask.

"Because if the Goddesses saved him once, why would they let him die now?" he says.

I sniffle quietly, trying to collect myself, "I have to tell them what to do once they finish operating."

"Alright, but then I think you should go and get some rest. You don't need to stay here while this is happening. It'll just make you hurt watching them do that to him," Lawrence says.

"But, I'll make myself sick," I say.

"I'll stay."

I narrow my eyes, "What?"

"I'll stay and watch. You need to go and get some sleep. Evangeline needs to see you happy," he says solemnly.

I breathe out what feels like relief, "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Thank you," I say.

He nods, and takes his place by Link's bedside again. I hold myself together just long enough to explain everything to the doctors, and then I run.

* * *

I wake up only a few hours later. I dream of Link, of the surgery and I can't force myself back to bed after that. I wander back down to the hospital wing, my heart pounding, but one of the nurses says that they're still in surgery. At least he hasn't died yet, I tell myself.

I find myself in front of my dad's study. I haven't seen him since I got back, and since after this, Link will be in critical condition, I need to speak to him about us by myself. I knock once and poke my head inside, giving him a weary smile as he looks up from his paper.

"Hi Dad," I say.

"Zelda!" he says, standing from his desk and walking towards the doors, wrapping his arms around my once he's within reach.

I let out a breath, "I'm fine."

"You found her?"

"Yes," I reply.

"And was she able to give you an antidote," he asks.

"Yes." I leave it at that.

"I'm glad," he says, looking down at his hands and turning back to his desk.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

I hesitate, "Can I talk to you for a few minutes?"

"Of course," he says, sitting down and gesturing towards the chair across from his desk.

I sit down, wanting to start easy, conversational, so that he doesn't jump down my throat. "I realized something while I was away."

"And what was that?" he asks.

I clear my throat and stare at him straight on, "That I can't marry Lawrence." So much for conversational.

"What?" he asks, a hint of annoyance coloring his tone.

The tears from earlier make a reappearance, "I love him, Dad."

He looks like he's about to retort and then looks down at the picture on his desk, the one of my mother. "Love isn't what builds a kingdom."

"Dad, I know how to run this kingdom. I am capable of teaching Link, I am capable of running this country by myself if it came to that! Why is marrying Lawrence such an asset?" I demand.

He won't look at me, just keeps staring at the picture.

"Why don't you like him?" I ask after a moment off silence.

"I do like him," he mutters.

I scoff, "Right, you liked him the night you beat him outside of my bedroom, and the day you sent him off to war, and the day you wrote me a letter saying he was killed."

"Zelda...this life is hard. Not only in duty, but it is hard on a person who wasn't born in this lifestyle," he says, his eyes still not meeting mine.

"He has seen much more difficult."

"It's not what you expect," he says, eyes down.

I snap suddenly, pushing the picture flat down on the table, "Why can't you look at me?"

He sucks in a short breath but quickly regains composure, finally meeting my eyes. "You were told that your mother became very ill after you were born."

"And that she died only a few weeks after," I finish.

He lets out a deep shuddering breath, "It's not true."

My mouth drops open, my brow creasing, "What do you mean?"

He swallows before continuing, "Your mother wasn't of royal birth."

Before shock and confusion, anger takes over me, "And you won't let me marry Link? Dad you are such a hypocrite!"

"Please, Zelda...let me explain," he says, his hands held up in front of him.

I realize that I'm out of my seat, my hands gripping the arm rests. I slowly sit back down, folding my hands in my lap.

"We met in school," he continues, "boarding school. And we fell in love, as if there was nothing else to it. I begged my parents to let me marry her and finally they allowed it. I had them make up records for her, allowing the public to think that she was the great granddaughter of a duchess in a far off land. I thought as you did, Zelda, that I would run the country and teach her so she could stand by my side. I loved her so much."

"Dad...why didn't you tell me?" I ask, my voice wavering.

He continues on with his story as if he hadn't heard me. "And then she found out she was going to have you and everything seemed so perfect. But it wasn't. During the couple of years she spent as my wife, she saw this country and every hard thing that it's had to go through. She saw the death that war and poverty brings. She saw some of her friends from childhood die. But most importantly, she saw one of her best friends have a family and a home away from the stresses of this world. Her friend had a little boy, and a husband that didn't have to be away for weeks at a time. And she saw her life and it wasn't how she thought it would be.

"She was upset. She wouldn't talk to me about it, she wouldn't talk to anyone. She would just stare out the window, and stare off at nothing, as if nothing meant anything anymore. One of the nights about a week before you were born, she found out about a revolution in one of the neighboring provinces, and her best friend's husband, a knight, was killed in battle. Her friend was seriously wounded and took her child away, trying to find safety for him. They found her body two days later beside the river. Her son's body was never recovered and they assumed that he had drowned. It was Ganondorf that had spurred the revolution, the uprising, but of course I didn't see that until years later.

"After you were born, she wouldn't even look at you. I would come into our room and you would be screaming and she would just be sitting by the window, staring off in the distance, absentmindedly. I thought she was just grieving for her friend. The next morning they found her body in the courtyard. She had jumped from our window," he finally concludes, his voice shaking as tears stream down his face.

"What?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, my throat thick.

"I wanted to tell you sooner. But I didn't want to see you the same way," he says through groggy tears.

"She killed herself?" I ask again. I need clarification.

"Because of this lifestyle, because of the burden it is. Zelda, I don't want what happened to me to happen to you. I've seen the toll this life can take on someone who isn't prepared for it, and it nearly killed me. Zelda, I could never let that happen to you."

I burst into tears, taking his hands in my own, "No Daddy, Mom was sick, she was very sick. Not like you told me she was when I was little, but in her mind she was very ill. She was suffering from that, not the kingdom. Daddy, Link isn't like that. He's strong."

"I'm too afraid for you Zelda," he says sincerely, looking in my eyes with tears in his own.

"Dad," I say, standing up and walking around to the side of his desk, wrapping my arms around his waist. He lets out a sob, one of the most heart wrenching sounds I've ever heard. Now he's just a man that's scared. He's not the king right now, he's just my dad, helpless, and for the first time in my life, open as a book.

"I'm so sorry Daddy," I cry into his shoulder.

"I love you, Zelda. I just want what's best for you," he says, finally pulling back.

"I know, but I need to figure this out. Once Link wakes up, I'm going to talk to him and I need you to understand. Please," I say quietly.

He sighs, letting out the last of his tears, "We'll talk."

I nod, "I love you too Dad."

I turn around and walk towards the doors when I hear my father let out the faintest of laughs, one that is dampened by days passed.

"What is it?" I ask.

"It's just, I remember what her name was, the girl who was your mom's best friend. Her name was Evangeline. It's just an interesting coincidence," he says, sitting back down with a vague smile on his face.

"Very," I say, before closing the door.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi People. I just wanted to preface this section by saying I'm sorry and to not lose hope because I know that this section might make some people a little angry. Just remember that it's not over yet. I finally finished the almost 300 episodes of dragon ball z do I will be writing more now. Also I really don't know how long this is going to be or when it's going to end. This is entirely based on my capability to finish a story. I'm the kind of person that can only read books that are a part of series because once I read a book I become so invested in a character's life that I become devoted to knowing what happened from start to end so who knows what that could mean for this story. So yes, have fun, keep hope, and I'm sorry! (Simon Birch style (kudos to you if you know what I mean))**

* * *

I've been flipping through the same pictures of her for the last half hour. Pictures that I've had since I was little, pictures that once had little to no meaning, other than the fact that this was the woman who was my mother, a woman I never knew. But now I see a woman that wasn't yet affected by this world I've grown up in, a woman that is happy, radiant, in love.

I guess I can see the resemblance between the two of us now, I can see her smile in me, her eyes. I wonder if the world got to see that before she died, I wonder if they made up their own stories, or if they were told the same one I was. Probably the latter.

I find a picture of her with who I assume is her closest friend, Evangeline. She's beautiful, long curling blonde hair, pink cheeks, a tender smile. Her little baby boy is cradled in her arms, wrapped in blankets so that only his face is poking out along with one curled up small fist, her husband stands to her left, an arm around her waist. His eyes are sincere, deep blue, though the picture has faded remarkably. Something about the pair seems very familiar, but my father had said they were killed before I was born, so I couldn't know them.

I look at the baby, so sweet and innocent. He was a victim of Ganondorf like the rest of us, but to be subject to it at such a young age. I wonder if he did really die, or if he escaped with his mother before her eventual death. I wonder if he's living somewhere now without the knowledge of where he came from. Perhaps, I've even seen him before in the streets or towns. He couldn't have been much older than me, perhaps four or five months.

But then again his bones could be at the bottom of the river.

"Princess?"

I start at the voice, putting the pictures down and turning to find Adelaide in the doorway of my room. "Yes?"

"The surgery is over, he's been given the antidote. The doctor said he assumes it will be about a half an hour before it takes it's course but he's awake. The recovery could be rough so this could be the last time-"

I'm already on my feet before she can finish, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze and saying a quick thank you before I rush past her through the door. I pick up my skirt and walk as briskly as I can, though I soon give up and forget my shoes beneath a table holding a vase of flowers and run full out. I'm breathless by the time I burst through the doors and see him, laying in his bed attempting to give me a weak smile.

I let out a combination of a joyful laugh and a pained sob and continue towards him. I catch a glance at Lawrence who looks awful. He's pale and there are drops of sweat on his temples. "I'm going to go out for a while. I'll give you two a minute," he says, throwing me what I assume is a smile.

I stand at his bedside while he stares at me, the smallest hint of glitter returning to his eyes. "Hey, Princess," he says, his voice crackly.

"Link," I say, collapsing to the ground on my knees, my hand on his cheek, "I've been so worried."

"I'm still here," he murmurs.

"Yeah," I say smiling with water building in my eyes.

"So, you saved me again, huh?" he asks, his humor still in tact.

"Not exactly," I say, unable to wipe the smile off my face, "I had the help of a witch too."

"Branching out then, that's good, your pool of friends won't be so limited," he jokes though he can hardly laugh.

"We're not exactly friends, I kind of burst into her house in the middle of the night," I laugh.

"Still, you saved me. Isn't that my job?" he asks.

"You're not the only one with a piece of the triforce," I say, holding up my hand and wiggling my fingers.

He swallows, an act that seems near impossible for him, "Zelda."

"Don't say that courage is more important than wisdom, do you remember how that argument ended?" I say, laughing at the memory.

"No, Zelda-"

"You lost," I remind him.

"Zelda," he says patiently.

"...What?"

"I want to say something," he says, the ease leaving his tone.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I..." he hesitates, "I might be here now, but it might be a different story in an hour."

"You're going to make it, I can feel it," I say.

"Regardless..." he murmurs, "I don't feel how I used to. My body doesn't seem to match my brain."

"You just woke up from surgery, that's normal," I say.

"No, it's different than that. I don't feel the same. Something's changed," he says calmly.

"You'll recover, don't worry," I encourage.

"I don't think I will...ever...fully recover. And so I want you to do something for me."

"What, I'll do it, whatever it is you need," I say, taking his hand in both of mine.

He pauses, looking deep into my eyes and tears suddenly fill his. My breath catches in my throat as I fear what I've just agreed to. "I want you to marry Lawrence."

* * *

_**LINK**_

She stares at me, processing my words maybe, trying to find a way to fight them. I wait in silence until she opens her mouth and says the one word I feared most. "No."

"Please," I beg, warm water trickling down my temples and onto my pillow, "please do it for me."

"I can't, Link. I can't do that," she says, her voice shaking in panic.

"Zelda, you need someone who is going to be able to take care of you. Things have changed, I can't do that anymore. Zelda...he can do that for you and I need you to see that," I argue, my voice losing it's steam.

She looks so sad. It's killing me so much. I would have rather died so I didn't have to face this moment. She knows how much I don't want to be saying this, how much pain it's causing me to look at her and say it. This face is the one I anticipate I would see everyday if she had to watch me go through life like this. It's why I need to distance myself from her, why I need her to agree to go through with it so she has _something_.

"But Link, I thought we had decided-" she says in a rushed voice.

"That was before this happened. That was before all of this happened," I say.

"You've always been fine before," she says, her voice growing angry though it quivers, her eyes growing murky with tears, "you have _always_ been okay. Why is this any different?"

"Zelda I can hardly move," I say bluntly.

She pauses, "What?"

I look at her, wanting to reach up and catch the tear that spills over her eyes, "It got to my bones. It's going to be a while before I can be like I used to."

"I don't understand, won't the antidote fix that?" she asks.

"I don't know Zelda. Either that or it'll kill me. But I just feel so tired. As much as I love you Zelda...I'm not only asking this for your sake. I need to rest, I need to recover. I can't run a country by your side and do that at the same time. And... I don't want my daughter to see me like this. I want her to have a father who can hold her and play with her. Don't you want that for our daughter?" I ask.

"I want her to be with her father," she cries.

"Please," I say again.

"No, you're being stupid. You are being completely stupid! This doesn't make any sense. Tell me the truth, if you don't want to be with me because you don't want me or this kingdom just tell me. But if you really love me-"

"Stop. You know I love you. You know that I care about you more than anything. If you marry him it will be better for you. You're not going to have the husband that is always with you, you're going to have the husband that lies in bed all day because he's too tired to walk. That's what you'll get if you choose me," I say.

She puts her face in her hands, her elbows resting on the mattress and sobs. "But I..." is all she manages to get out.

"I want you to marry him," I repeat.

"But what about you?" she asks from behind her hands.

"I'm going to go home. I'm going to rest up and I'm going to keep working towards getting better. It's going to take a long time and I don't think I'll ever be completely heal. But I just need a place away from everything to make up for everything that's happened. Not just now, but during the war, and before that too. I realized that there are a lot of open wounds from before that need to heal first."

She looks up at me, "And that's that?"

I shake my head as best as I can and put a weary smile on my face, "No. I'm sure it's going to be a lot harder than that. But that's what I'm aiming for."

"And for us?"

"I'll still be around. But you'll be busy being the Queen and a mother, and that's what I want for you. To do what you were born to do in a way that makes you happy," I say.

"But how do you know that'll make me happy?" she asks.

"I don't. But I've seen him lately and he's different. He cares about you so much. And I think there's a part of you that does love him, even if it's not as strong as what you feel for me. He's made mistakes, but he's not what I thought he was."

"And what's that?" she asks.

"He's not in this only for the status."

She bites her lip and looks at me with the same tired, sad expression.

"It's what I want," I say again.

She nods wearily, finally giving in. "Then I'll do it...for you."

I nod, relief and pain overwhelming me, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

She stands up, leaning over my bed and kisses my cheek, which I presume will be for the last time, "I love you."

"And I love you."

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

He passed out about fifteen minutes after we stopped talking. The pain was excruciating for him as the antidote burned through his body. I wait for the result. I hope that it's the one I want. I've been laying in my bed since then, staring at the ceiling because anything else is too hard. Lawrence pushes through the door and looks at me with knowing eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Zelda," he says softly.

"I'm going to be okay," I say, surprisingly calmly.

He lets out a heavy sigh and comes towards the bed, sitting down on the edge. "I know. I heard."

He's not saying that he knows I'll be alright, he's saying he knows something that he shouldn't. My heart is racing. "Heard what?"

"About Link. About Evangeline...About you. When I came back to the hospital I heard you two talking," he says.

"I'm sorry," I say through tears, "I should have told you."

"I assumed. Even when he wasn't here I thought there was something...or someone else," he says, his eyes on the floor.

"I am so sorry. Lawrence, you don't deserve this and I give you every right to want to leave me," I say, almost hoping he'll take me up on my offer.

"I don't want to leave you," he mutters.

"What?"

"I don't blame you for what happened. It was before you met me, or, were with me at least. You thought he was dead and then he came back. How can I blame you for missing what you had before?" he says.

"You're not mad?" I ask.

"Yeah, I am. I want to beat the crap out of the kid. But how in the world would that be justified? How could I do that to him when you were almost engaged to him when it happened?" he says, his brow creased.

"How did you find out about that?" I ask.

"Adelaide. She spilled when I went to her with my theory about you and Link. I told her I wouldn't rat her out but since you asked..." he says, almost laughing.

I roll my eyes though a smile finds my lips too, "She would."

He's still smiling but his voice sobers, "And I...I know you don't want to marry me."

I swallow and sit up, resting a hand on his shoulder, "You're wrong. I do."

He turns his head, and looks at me confused, "You do?"

I nod, because I'm afraid my 'yes' won't sound convincing enough. He laughs and scoops me up and I think that maybe I could get used to these set of arms. Maybe.

* * *

_**LINK**_

"Hey...I brought you some soup."

"Thanks Mal," I say, sitting up in my bed though all of my muscles ache. It's been two weeks since I woke up after the antidote had burned up in my veins along with the rest of the black magic and I just got home yesterday.

She sets a tray in front of me and a bowl of some broth with spices crushed in it and sits on the edge of my bed to make sure I'm alright. I take the spoon in my hand, using all of my concentration to wrap my fingers around the handle. I dip it into the soup and try to lift it back up but my hand shakes, spilling all the liquid back into the bowl. I set it back down and sit back, sighing in defeat.

"Here," she says, scooting closer and taking the spoon for herself. She holds her other hand beneath the spoon and brings it to my mouth, tipping it past my lips and into my mouth like a professional, not spilling a single drop.

I let it run down my throat, sitting back and letting the flavor sink into my taste buds. It's been too long since I've been able to eat something that isn't simply to nurture my body back from it's near death.

"How does it taste?" she asks.

"Amazing. Thank you," I say.

"We're just so glad you're back," she murmurs, not meeting my eyes, "me and Pop were so worried about you."

"I'm alright now," I reassure her.

"It's been a long couple of weeks for us," she says softly.

"I know...I'm so sorry, Malon."

She reaches into the pocket of her apron and pulls a sturdy piece of paper from it, "This came today."

"What is it?" I ask.

"An invitation. To Zelda's wedding. 'For one Sir Link and one guest.'"

"Do you want to go?" I ask, studying her expression.

She nods, looking at me with a guilty smile. "I know you don't."

"If you want to go, I'll go with you," I say, "she's my friend, I should be there for her."

She takes the tray from off my lap and sets it on the floor. I frown at her because I'm nowhere near to being finished. "What are you-"

But before I can finish she wraps her arms around my neck, burying her face in the curve between my shoulder and neck. "I missed you so much."

"I really missed you too," I say, and I'm surprised by how much I mean it.

"You look so much better than you did yesterday already," she says pulling back. She rests a hand on my cheek, "You've already got some color back in you. You always were a fast healer."

"I hope you're right," I say.

"I usually am," she says with a quirked eyebrow, the sassy Malon I know finally present.

"That's true. Now bring that soup back here, I'm going to need to eat if I want to be back to good health for the wedding," I say.

She smiles and and picks it back up off the floor and sets it in front of me. She tucks her hair behind her ear and watches me as she lifts the spoon to my face again. This time however, I bump her arm and the soup spills on my clothes. We both laugh and it feels so good, like all of the heavy stones weighing down my every thought are being lifted. I think I'm happy with the decision I've made because I know that Zelda must be now that she doesn't have to worry about me. I think I'm happy.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

I stare into the mirror as Adelaide rests the tiara on top of my head, nestling it into the elaborate braids and curls. Next she tucks the veil into it's spot and smooths it down. The image of myself is blurry, mostly due to the tears that haven't fallen from my eyes yet. I can't believe it's come so soon.

"You look beautiful, Princess," she says gently, resting her hands on my shoulders.

"Thank you Adelaide," I say in a voice that doesn't seem like my own. It's distant.

She reaches in front of me and hands me something and as I look down a silent tear falls from my eye. She's giving me a handkerchief for me to wipe my eyes with. I look back up at the mirror, my face perfected with soft shimmering blush, dark dramatic eye makeup. I wipe the small streak of black that now falls down my cheek like a scratch of black with the handkerchief and dab at my eyes, trying to remain steady, composed.

"Be happy...Miss," she says even softer.

The image of myself looks so foreign. I look like a cold queen, not like the girl that I used to be. The white dress that surrounds me makes my skin look even paler, the enormous stone on my ring finger the only blemish.

I'm trying, I really am. I've been prepared for this day for almost two years. I lasted twenty minutes this morning before I broke down.

I'm so glad for old superstition that keeps Lawrence away from me until the ceremony, I don't think I could face him right now in all of my misery. The second tear falls from my eye and I catch it in the handkerchief before it can continue it's line of destruction to my jaw line. Adelaide steps around me, blocking my view of myself and reapplies the blush, hiding any evidence that the tears had fallen.

I stand up once she's finished and she steps out of the way, allowing me one last chance to see the full effect of what some would call a blushing bride, despite my blush being completely fabricated. My blonde hair is piled into an elaborate bun on top of my head, delicate curls around my face. The diamond tiara looks like a beacon, the veil like a mask as it is carefully laid over my face, hiding who I really am. My dress is pristine, all of the wrinkles ironed out of it so that I fear moving in certain ways in case I crease it. The sweetheart neckline exposes my collar bones and the top of my chest, the sleeves that just drape over the top of my shoulders make me feel vulnerable. The skirt starts at my waist and billows out away from me, the massive amount of tulle creating a force field around me.

I take my bouquet in a gloved hand, the glove extending all the way up past my elbows. The flowers too are white. Everything about the dark makeup seems dangerous.

"Adelaide," I say.

"Yes, Miss?" she asks.

"Take it off. The makeup. I don't look like myself," I say finally turning and looking at her.

"Are you sure?" she asks.

"Yes. I don't want it." I attempt to give her a small smile.

She nods and brings a bowl of warm water and a cloth and starts removing the makeup. I'm grateful now when I cry no one will see the aftermath of a black stain on me.

* * *

_**LINK**_

"Do I look pretty?"

I look Malon up and down, her usual dress that she wears to work ditched for a gorgeous dark green gown. Her long auburn hair is swept into a low side bun, her bangs swooping over one of her eyes.

"You look beautiful," I say.

She looks down at her feet, blushing madly, only made worse by her fair skin. She wanders closer to me and adjusts one of my medals. I didn't know what to wear so I had gone with my traditional uniform from the army.

"There, now you could be the prince and no one would know the difference," she says, smoothing out my shoulders.

I smile as I watch her affectionately. The way a brother might watch his sister grow up.

However, a brother would not reach down around her neck and bring her mouth to his like I do. She tastes different than Zelda, much more mellow. She seems surprised which must be why she hesitates at first, but then she relaxes into me, resting her palms on my chest and kissing me back. I know this is wrong because I'm only testing myself. Testing myself to see if I can look at Malon as Zelda is being married and know that I have some form of a future.

She pulls back first, her breathing heavy as she looks down. "You have no idea how long I've waited for you to do that," she whispers.

I let my hands fall from her neck and around her slender waist and the satin cascading around it. "I'm so sorry," I say gently.

She looks up at me, a question in her eyes.

"This is going to take me some time. I just wanted to see..." I say truthfully.

She nods, "I understand. You still love her."

"I'm going to have to get over that eventually," I say with a shrug.

"Link...you don't have to fool yourself with me," she says with disappointment in her voice.

"I'm not trying to. I really care about you, Mal. It just might take me some time to...I don't know...show _you_ that," I say.

"Okay," she says, nodding, "but I don't want it to be because you're trying to forget her."

I bite my lip as Talon opens the door to her room, catching us together with a sly look on his face. "You two ready to go?"

"Yes," I say looking around the room.

"Here," she says, handing me what I was looking for.

I take the cane from her and Malon takes my other arm in hers, helping my legs move towards the door, helping my recovering body to move when it can't on it's own.

"Have fun," Talon says as we head out to the cart hooked up to Epona. She had finally come home about a week ago after being cut loose by the thieves, and things were finally looking up. Malon helps me up to my seat and takes her's beside me, holding the reigns in her hands. She looks at her father and waves before setting off towards the castle. Towards Zelda.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

It's easier to look at my reflection with the makeup gone. I look younger, more like the person I was when we were fighting Ganondorf. My eyelashes are pale, framing my blue eyes like the lining of the sun behind a cloud. I like this image of myself better. This is the girl that climbed through her window at night after being with Link and being unable to stop smiling. This is the girl that looked at herself in the mirror and thought that she was in love. It's silly, but it makes me think that I can trick myself into thinking that I am, just with a different person.

The only other jewelry I wear other than the ring on my finger is a frail gold chain around my neck, a simple silver ring strung on it. I will tell Lawrence that it is a family ring. But this is the ring that Link gave me.

He had been so nervous I remember, standing by the tree out in the garden, holding my hand in his. We had been talking about our parents, how I didn't remember my mother, how he didn't remember either of his. We spoke of our regrets, of how we wished we knew them once. He spoke of how he wished he knew how his father proposed to his mother. He told me that it didn't matter what was in the past though, because he wanted to tell our kids about how he proposed to me. And then he had opened his other hand, the one with the silver band in it and explained that it was all he had left of them, that it was the only thing that was left with him. He said that he knew that it was a symbol of a love he knew his parents had despite everything, despite the fact that he didn't know them, and he knew that he wanted me to have it. Then he slipped it on my finger, took both of my hands in his and asked me to marry him.

Lawrence had knelt on one knee, very traditional, out by the fountains during a party where everyone was watching us. Everyone clapped.

As I look at the silver circle against my skin, it seems very cold. It's not warm like it was that night after sitting in his hand for moments that seemed too long while I waited for the question I hoped he would ask. I wish it was the one around my finger, not the overly large diamond encircled with rubies. Lawrence and I will exchange wedding bands during the ceremony, but this one waits on my finger, heavy, blaring the truth.

The thought is enough to bring tears to my eyes again. This time, out of the sight of my attendants and maids who have spent the better part of the morning preparing me, I burst into tears, putting my face in my hands and trying not to think about whether or not Link will be there. I don't know which is worse.

He wanted this, he wanted me to go through with it, so I will. But it's so incredibly painful to have to look at myself and say that I want it, because I don't. I was so prepared to fight my dad for him, to fight everything. I'd been ready to even tell Lawrence everything and leave him by the side of the road, a task that would kill him despite the fact that he'd already found out about his daughter that rightfully belonged to Link. But I hadn't been ready to fight Link, and I couldn't.

The girl in the mirror now has lost whatever shields she had put up while trying to hide her feelings and there is nothing but misery on her face now. I hiccup sobs with a hand over my mouth, trying not to make too much noise so that I won't draw attention to myself, so that people won't assume what is true.

There is a soft knock on my door and I clear my throat, blink the few remaining tears from my eyes and take a deep breath. "Come in," I say.

Adelaide pokes her head through the door. "It's time," she says with a humble smile on her lips, trying to reassure me, while knowing that it can't be done.

I stand from my place in front of the vanity and take my bouquet, all hope remaining with the girl in the mirror.

* * *

_**LINK**_

The castle is completely decorated in flowers and ribbons, all white and green. Malon keeps pointing things out to me but I can't say I'm really paying attention, I'm waiting anxiously for things to start. They've put us all into a grand meeting hall in the castle rather than the Temple of Time simply for seating. Almost everyone from the country is here, plus all of those from Falvale, and so they attempt to fit as many as possible with an invitation into the ceremony room. Those who didn't receive a formal invite are forced to wait in the courtyards in anticipation.

Just then Lawrence walks in with who must be his brother by his side. They look very similar, the same dark hair and dark eyes. Lawrence wears an admiral's attire, looking regal. He wears a crown on his head though it is not the grand crown of a king, still only that of a prince. He won't gain that crown until his coronation. He shakes some people's hands while Malon looks on on the edge of her seat.

He wanders to the front of the room, a smile on his face as he looks towards the doors, awaiting his future wife. The orchestra begins playing, and the doors are swung open. Everyone stands, blocking my view of her, but I know that she's there, that soon she'll walk past this very aisle.

There are small gasps throughout the guests, gasps of envy, of surprise, whispers of her dress, her hair, her ring. There are sighs as she makes her way down the aisle beside her father.

I catch a glimpse of her finally, my heart aching and see that her face isn't proud and happy, but completely empty of any sort of joy. There are tears rushing down her face as she tries to compose herself. It seems as though the King is dragging her with him. When she finally makes it up to Lawrence, she looks so hopeless, so utterly sad. I know that I've done this to her, but it's too late now. I have to live with it.

Everyone sits down and I can see her clearly now, facing Lawrence in a way that allows me to see her face. They take each other's hands and he whispers something to her, probably about how beautiful she looks, because despite the water in her eyes and over her cheeks, she looks the most beautiful I have ever seen her.

"Oh she looks gorgeous," Malon whispers to me.

I nod and mumble something quietly though I'm so gripped right now by longing I can't bring myself to make an intelligible reply.

She looks out towards the crowd, just a fleeting glance, but catches my eyes and holds them there for a brief moment, all of her despair draining into me. Lawrence turns over his shoulder and looks at me just as she looks back and he doesn't look angry to find me there, but resolved with my presence.

The priest begins to speak about love and companionship and of the kingdom, and all the while Zelda is sobbing harder though she's trying desperately to contain herself. She looks so vulnerable, not wearing any makeup as I assumed she would be. She looks like a little girl, not supposed to be in this situation.

Finally he comes to the vows which make my stomach turn. He looks at Zelda and says the words I've been dreading hearing. "Do you Zelda Elizabeth Hyrule take Lawrence Allan Bane to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have an to hold, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

Zelda looks at Lawrence with anguish on her face and sucks in a loud shuddering breath. "I do," she says softly, her voice strained with tears.

A soft sigh echoes throughout the crowd, followed by words of young love. I clench my jaw as the people mistake her misery for complete happiness. I can feel tears leaking into my eyes as I watch the girl I love slipping away out of my reach.

"And do you, Lawrence Allan Bane," the priest continues, "take Zelda Elizabeth Hyrule to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?"

There's a long silence, people watching closely, waiting to celebrate, waiting for him to say 'I do' so he can kiss the bride already. The only thing that can be heard throughout the silence are Zelda's soft cries. He looks at her, waiting, making all of us wait, his hands holding hers.

He swallows, audible in the room where not a single person is breathing in fear of upsetting the silence and says "No. I can't."


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi there good people. So this next little section is pretty short but whatever, I felt like it ended at a good point so I didn't really want to continue for a while and just have it drag on. So that's my excuse. But I am finally making progress on my novel which is surprising and unfortunately more important that this story. But you people make me happy so I want to make you happy, thus I upload to this website every so often. Just a sidenote, I don't know if I did, but if I ever accidentally call Evangeline 'Stella' it's because that's the name of the little girl in my novel so just forgive me if that ever happens. I caught myself a couple times writing this section. As for my next uploadingness...well I have grad next weekend so don't count on it being up as soon as I'd like it to. Sorry. Hmm...I want to watch Mission Impossible III.**

There is a simultaneous gasp that comes from every mouth in the audience.

Zelda's eyebrows raise in confusion, Lawrence looks down and drops her hands, rubbing his brow and fidgeting uncomfortably for a few moments before escaping out a door in the back of the hall. The murmuring amongst the guests has already started by the time the door slams shut. Zelda looks as though in complete shock, glancing at the people around her before finding escape through a different door, adjacent to the one Lawrence went through.

I stand up quickly, taking my cane in my hand and whisper to Malon, "I'll be back, stay here."

I wind my way around the castle, willing my legs to go faster and pushing myself farther than I have for weeks. I turn a corner beyond the gathering of the citizens who are talking amongst themselves, the rumor of Lawrence walking out spreading faster than wildfire. I find her against the wall away from the crowds, her back pressed against it, her hands at her side with her bouquet on the ground. She's looking up at the sky, sobbing.

"Zelda," I say when I'm near enough.

I drop my cane and wind my arms around her waist when she throws her arms around my neck. She's crying harder than I've ever seen her cry, her chest heaving with bursts of tears against mine.

"I...I don't want to...be here anymore," she cries.

I pull back and put my hand on the side of her face, "You want to be alone?"

She nods, her face miserable and puts her hand on top of mine, taking it in hers and gently pulling me along. Obviously she meant away from the whole country when she meant alone, and for her that doesn't mean me apparently. I limp along beside her and she pulls my arm over her shoulder, leading me up the stairs in the castle and into her room.

"They're going to come looking soon," she murmurs, wiping her face, "I can't stay here...I just need to get away."

"Okay, well don't worry. Things are going to work out," I reassure her.

She looks away from me towards a vanity and starts pulling countless pins out of her hair, curls and waves falling down her back. She takes her ring off and throws it towards the corner halfheartedly just as if it's a piece of her normal wardrobe. She pulls the gloves off her hands and rips the veil and tiara from her hair. She glances down her shoulder and says, "Will you unbutton me?"

I swallow and take a step towards her. "Sure," I murmur, closing the distance between us and starting to undo the small buttons that follow her spine all the way down to her hips. My fingers don't behave at first, they fumble on the buttons, but once I find a rhythm I move quickly until her back is exposed. She had once told me that people like having their backs rubbed because it's the most vulnerable part of your body, the only part you can't see, and when someone rubs your back it makes you feel safe. I wonder if I should reach out now and do the same, but then I wonder if she would take it the wrong way.

Before I have the opportunity to, she slips the dress off her shoulders and steps out of it, finding a simpler dress in her wardrobe. She looks like herself again.

She takes my hand and pulls herself close to me, "Where do you want to go?"

"What? Zelda...you have to go and find out what's happening, everyone is going to be wondering where you are-"

"The forest, the lake? Where?" she asks again.

I shake my head slowly at her, furrowing my brow.

She puts her hand over my face just like she had done that day in the Sacred Forest Meadow when we had transported back here. She presses her finger to the space between my eyebrows and the walls start to blur around us. "No," I say backing away from her. The room stops moving but I still fall, hitting the ground hard.

A light gasp escapes her lips as she rushes to my side, "Link!...Link, I'm so sorry."

She slides her hand around my back and helps me sit up and when I looks into her eyes to tell her it's fine, she's crying again. She crosses her ankles and pulls her knees up to her chest, shaking as she cries.

"Zelda," I say as soothingly as possible, "it's fine if you want to leave. But let me go and see what's happening. I just don't want you to run away..."

She doesn't respond, just keeps her head in her knees, crying.

"I'm going to go and find Lawrence...have him explain things. I won't tell anyone where you are and you can just wait here until I get back...don't worry," I say, laying my hand in her hair.

She nods, her breath slowing down though her back still trembles with silent sobs.

I stand up and walk back down towards the crowds again, searching for Lawrence. I ask people in passing if they've seen him though everyone seems too self-absorbed to pay me any attention. I see the back of Malon's head in one of the crowds but decide to wait and explain things to her afterward.

I find myself in the gardens and by the fountains where it's quiet and the people aren't usually permitted to go. And I find him there, sitting on the edge of one of the fountains, his face placid.

"Lawrence," I say when I'm within hearing distance.

He frowns and looks up at me but his face softens as he recognizes my face, "Link."

"Are you alright?" I ask.

He lets out a humorless laugh, "Fantastic."

I wander up and stand in front of him. I point at the spot beside him and say, "Do you mind?"

He shakes his head and scoots over to let me sit.

"You want to know why I walked out on Zelda," he assumes.

"More or less," I say.

"Well..." he begins and looks off in the distance, "if you were about to marry a girl that looked like she was watching her world end...I think you would too."

I remain silent, not wanting to deny the fact or make him feel worse.

"She didn't want to marry me anyways," he mutters, "she said she wanted to out of duty but..."

He glances up at me and there's the slightest bit of envy maybe in his eyes, the rest is utter sadness.

"She's young...I don't think she was ready," I say.

"We both know that isn't true. She was so miserable because I wasn't the one she wanted to be across from. I know...about you and her, about Evangeline. I know you asked her to marry me because you thought she would be happier. But you were wrong. That's why I left."

A trace of shock passes over my face as I wonder how he came to know of all of this, if Zelda told him, or somebody else. "I'm sorry," is all I can say.

"That you lied to me or that you got caught?" he asks.

"That you had to be caught in the middle of it. I lied to try and protect her. I didn't do it out of spite towards you. This had nothing to do with you. If it was anyone else in your position I would have done the same thing. I'm just sorry that I had to go meddling with your life," I say.

He laughs again, though it's barely a breath and says, "I really want to hit you right now."

I shrug, "I can't say I blame you."

He rolls his eyes, "But I can't...because she's in love with you and that's why we're in this situation. Not because of Evangeline or the fact that you two lied about the child I thought was mine. We're in this situation because I couldn't look at her and call her mine when she's not."

I look down at my hands, "Well...I guess all I can say is thank you."

"I didn't do it for you," he says hastily, "I did it for her."

"I know," I say, "but you put her before yourself...so thank you."

"Well, your thank yous aren't going to make things better. Her dad is probably going to kill me," he says, playing with the cuff on his wrist.

"If it makes you feel any better, I know the feeling," I say.

"Not really," he lets out a sigh, "is she upset?"

"I don't know, I think that she's under the impression that you might have done this out of spite against _her_. She didn't want to come down but I had to know..."

"So she's talking to you?" he asks.

"She needed to talk to someone. I just happened to find her first," I say.

He shakes his head, his elbows on his knees, "What am I going to tell her father?"

"The truth. I don't think he can punish you for looking out for his daughter. On the other hand, I might have to worry, but if it comes down to that, I'll back you up."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

He looks down at the ground while he speaks, "Why would you do that? If...I may be so bold...I've put two and two together. That night her and I got into a fight, when I came to your room...she was there, wasn't she?"

I bite my lip, "Yes."

"So you know that I hit her," he says choking slightly on his words but quickly composes himself, "and I punched you. So why, why would you _ever_ want to back me up?"

I narrow my eyes and watch this person that I'd had so much hate for dissolve into a sorry man. "Because I've done stupid things too. Things that I wouldn't have done if I'd thought about it for a single second longer. And under the circumstances, I mean, she didn't deserve what she got, but I did."

"Don't try and make me feel better about it," he mumbles.

"No, seriously. I was going behind your back. You were engaged to her and I wasn't. You had every right to be angry." I assure him.

"But not to do what I did to either of you."

"Maybe, but anger is irrational. It makes you do stupid things, it blinds you."

"Why are you trying to justify what I did?" he asks.

"Because you won't, to give you some peace of mind, to let you move on, take your pick," I say casually. He looks at the ground, everything I've said unreasonable to him, "Look, Lawrence. You've made amends for what happened that night. You are a better man than many I've known, and you have a right to be happy. I don't know if in the end what you did today will prove to be worth it, but you did it because you love her and that's enough for me."

He finally looks up at me, a weary smile on his face, "If we meet twenty years from now, after our respective lives have been established, Link, I think we could be friends."

I smile, "As do I."

He stands up, "Well...I have some explaining to do. If you see her...let her know I'm sorry, will you?"

I nod, "Of course."

He reaches down and shakes my hand before setting off back to the wedding hall. I turn the opposite way, back to the girl that he left behind.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

I'm brushing my hair when he comes back through the door, it's just something to take my mind off the things at hand, and something I drop quickly once the door is closed. I stand up and take in his expression and it's not what I had expected, like he was trying to hide what Lawrence had said to him. He smiles at me, genuinely and walks over to me before winding his arms around my waist.

"What did he say?" I ask.

"That he wants you to be happy, that he saw how miserable you were and that he couldn't go through with it?" he says.

I pull back, confusion furrowing my brow, "What?"

He nods, "He really cared about you Zelda."

This causes tears to prick at my eyes, but they might just be tears of happiness.

"Here," I say, "I'm packing a bag. You don't have to come with me, but could you take me somewhere where I can get away?"

He brushes a piece of hair out of my face, "You're sure this is what you want to do?"

"It's not permanent," I say quietly, suddenly self-conscious about my choice, "I just need some time. I left a note here for my dad."

He nods and I decide to give him some time to decide if he wants to come or not. I turn away from him and continue to pack away the few things that I want to bring with me. He sits down on the bed and is silent for a moment before laughing gently.

"What?" I ask, whirling around.

"Are these your parents?" he asks, picking up one of the pictures my father gave me that I had left on my bedside table.

"Yeah, my dad gave me those."

"You look just like your mom," he notes, "she was beautiful."

"She was happy," I say.

He nods, flipping to the next picture. "Who are these people with your parents, Zel?" he asks.

"Friends of my mom. One of her best friends from childhood and her husband," I say going to sit beside him on the bed, "her name was Evangeline...funny, huh?"

He freezes. "Evangeline?"

"Yeah, she died before I was born I think," I say, looking over his shoulder at the picture of the couple with their little baby boy.

"...How?" he asks hesitantly.

"Hmm, I think there was a revolution in a neighboring province...there were a lot of casualties," I say.

"And their child...what happened to him?" he asks, his voice faltering.

"They never found him..." I say confused, "Link, what's wrong?"

A tear drop falls from his eye onto the photograph, "That's my mother's wedding ring."

My hand goes to the ring resting on my chest on it's gold chain, but it's not the one he's talking about. It's the one on the finger of the woman in the picture, the woman holding the baby, her left hand holding him close to her chest.

I look at the baby, at his face peaking out from the blanket swaddling him. In his young age, he looks just like Evangeline, my daughter. He has the same ears, the same nose.

Link's ears and nose.

The baby, the baby that no one found. Maybe no one found him because his mother had hidden him. Maybe it's because he grew up away from the people who tried to kill him, away from everyone. Maybe he didn't even know who he was until he was seventeen years old.

The couple in the photograph, their familiarity makes so much sense now. She has his eyes, he has his strength.

His parents.


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay guys. I'm a little disappointed in myself. This section is pretty short and it really did not come out how I wanted it to... And it's been a while since I've updated. But on a different note...**

**DID ANYONE ELSE WATCH THE NEW SKYWARD SWORD TRAILER?**

**because if you didn't, mosey on down to youtube immediately. I had my reservations about the new game but I can say now that I think it'll be awesome. And Zelda is Link's childhood friend in the new game and not yet royal! How adorable, I'm excited to see how she becomes legend. The new game is a prequel to Ocarina of Time which was my favorite so I'm pretty excited. Now I just have to make it to november/december.**

* * *

_**LINK**_

Everything stops moving.

And the people I've been searching for my whole life smile back at me. My fingers shake as I draw the photograph closer to my eyes, to verify the truth I've uncovered.

"It's them," I whisper.

Zelda holds onto my arm and out of my peripheral vision I can see her watching me. "Your...parents?" she asks hesitantly.

I nod, "I didn't think..."

"You didn't think what?" she asks, softly catching a tear that has fallen down my cheek.

"That I'd ever find them."

"Now you have," she says, repositioning herself so that she's on her knees and kisses my temple.

I know I should feel happy, some form of closure. Maybe I thought I'd feel resolved after all this time. But I know the real reason that I feel more lost now than ever. "I'd always hoped...that they'd..."

But I burst into tears before I can finish.

Zelda cradles my head against her in an instant and is pressing soft, reassuring kisses to my hair. "It's going to be alright," she murmurs.

"I didn't think they would be," I manage, "but I hoped that maybe somewhere far away they'd be alive still, not knowing what happened to me."

She pulls back and turns my face towards hers and I'm not the only one with tears in my eyes, "They would want you to be happy. They died trying to protect you and they loved you."

"But they're gone now...and now I'll never know them," I say, my voice weak, as the picture tumbles out of my hands and onto the floor.

"But you _do_ know them," she says quietly, putting her hand over my heart. She takes my hand in hers and places it on the center of her chest where my fingers find what she'd intended; the silver circlet on a chain around her neck, the one I'd given her. I turn my hand, slipping my fingers beneath the chain so that the ring rests in my palm. "You know that they loved each other, and you know that they loved you."

"It's not...enough," I say, letting go of the ring.

She smooths my hair away off my forehead and tries to get me to look up at her. "I can look into the records and see what I can find. We'll find them together, alright?"

I bend down and pick up the picture off the floor, "Where was this taken?"

She shakes her head, "I don't know." But then she takes the picture from my hands and studies it's carefully before sucking in a breath.

"What? What is it?" I ask.

"I know where this is!" she exclaims.

"How? Where is it?" I ask, watching her with wide eyes.

She holds the photograph out towards me, "Do you see that mountain in the background?"

I look down and nod at her.

"I've been there once before, with my dad when I was younger. It's just to the south of Hyrule. I remember it because my dad told me there was a fairy fountain on the top of it," she says, her voice trembling with excitement.

"Well, what is it? What's it called?" I ask.

"Outset. Mount Outset. I remember it because there's a huge crevice down the middle," she says, her finger pointing out what she's talking about on the picture.

"You think that they lived there?" I ask.

"There's a town at the base of the mountain. Link...I think that's where your parents might have lived once," she says.

"Well then, let's go. Right now, let's go there," I say, standing up.

She nods, "I'll take you there."

"Will you stay with me?" I ask, holding out my hands to her.

"Of course...I'm here for you. But...what about Malon, Link? Do you need to let her know where you're going? I saw her with you at the ceremony," she says, her voice fading.

I nod, "I should tell her. She'll get worried."

Zelda nods at me and puts her hands over her chest and closes her eyes looking down. She stays like that for a moment and I wait, confused. She looks up and blinks a few times before saying, "She says good luck."

"Wait, what?" I ask, confusion further increased.

"I just communicated with her. I explained our situation and she says good luck," she explains.

"You – her – wait...how?" I ask.

"Honestly Link. Saria told me that you and her used to talk all the time from across the country. You'd just play that song and hear her voice in your head," she says.

"Yeah I did but-"

"That's what I just did. But I found Malon instead of her calling me," she says.

"You can do that?" I ask, perplexed.

She gives me a sly smile and says, "Must be a sage thing."

I smile down at her, "Must be."

"Just like this," she says, pressing her finger to my forehead and pressing her body close to mine. The walls start falling away, a blur of white and blue and grey taking their place. My stomach starts to turn at the feeling of falling, wind rushing past us, her hair in a hurricane. And then my feet touch softly on the ground again.

I look up and find myself in the shadow of a wall of stone, the sun filtering through a large crack in the wall. But it's not a wall, it's a mountain. I glance around, still slightly disoriented, "Where's the town?"

"Link," she says, reaching her hand out to me, "this way."

"I thought you said that you needed _me_ to take you away from Hyrule. But really you could have just teleported?" I joke with her, trying to ease the tension.

"Well, this has become more about you than it is about me. I needed some excuse for you to come along, but now I don't need one anymore," she says with a grin.

I take her hand as she leads me through the enormous crevice in the mountain, and when we come out on the other side I see it, the town I was born in. I don't know what I had expected, maybe something like the castle town. But it's not, it's different, but somehow familiar, homey. It reminds me of the forest, of Kokiri, with the many trees, long grass on the side of gravel roads. The houses are built of wood rather than stone, some of them with thick moss on their roofs, most of them with spilling over flower boxes.

"Where do we start?" I ask, overwhelmed with the huge expanse of trees and houses. The town much larger than I'd originally anticipated.

"How about...the grave yard? I assume your parents were...buried here," she says solemnly.

I nod. She asks a passing citizen for directions and it's not too long until we reach a quiet grove save for the whistling birds. It's peaceful when in comparison with the graveyard in Kakariko where it always seems dark, overly quiet, the dead listening to your thoughts. Fresh flowers adorn most of the grave sights, and I wonder if most of the people lain to rest here haven't been here that long, if they were killed in the revolution like my parents. There's a woman, probably in her fifties raking leaves, her pale blonde hair slipping out of her pony tail.

"Come on," Zelda murmurs to me, approaching the woman, "excuse me."

She looks up and smiles, "Yes Miss. What can I do for you?"

Zelda holds out the picture I hadn't realized she'd taken with her, "We were just wondering if you knew this family once. It's an old picture, almost twenty-one years old now, but we thought that they might be buried here."

She takes the picture in her hand and studies it for a moment before looking back up at Zelda, "Twenty-one years? So right around when the revolution started then."

"Yes ma'am," Zelda says.

She looks back at the picture and gazes at it for a moment longer. "Do you know either of their names?"

Zelda nods, "The woman's name is Evangeline."

The woman nods, biting her lip, "I do know them. Or rather, did."

Zelda's eyes widen, "You did? You knew all three of them?"

"Todd and Evangeline Harker, of course. It was tragic what happened to them," she says quietly.

"Are they buried here?" Zelda presses.

She nods again, "Follow me."

Zelda looks at me again and takes my hand, following the woman amongst grave stone after grave stone, until we come to one, a decent sized black stoned one. It has both of their names engraved in it, along with mine. Link Harker. I had never known my last name, but it feels right. I put my hand over my mouth and feel my eyes stinging, the tears coming too fast for me to try and stop them.

"Are you relatives of them?" the woman asks, her voice not giving way to any emotion.

"Friends of the family," Zelda covers quickly, and then says, "do people come to visit often?"

She nods her head, "Well, yeah. Evangeline's mum still lives here. Just came by the other day in fact."

Zelda and I look at each other in surprise. My grandmother, she's still alive, and all this time she's thought that I was dead.

"Can you tell us where she lives?" Zelda asks urgently.

"Of course," the woman says and gives us some brief directions. As we wind our way through the town, coming to stop in front of her door, I suddenly feel nervous, wondering what I'll find, wondering what she'll say. Wondering if I should even do this.

"Are you ready?" Zelda asks, slipping her fingers into mine.

I nod though I feel anything but ready. Yesterday I had no intention of ever seeing someone from my family. I had no desire to find them, no belief that I ever would. And now I stand in front of the door of my own grandmother.

"Come on," she says tugging gently on my hand, pulling me forward to knock.

We wait in silence for a minute. "Come on Zelda, let's just go, there's no one here," I say quickly, turning away.

"Link stop-" she says, pulling on my arm, but her words are interrupted as the door creaks open.

The woman inside looks confused, her eyes narrowed as she looks up at us, "May I help you?"

She stares at me with bright blue eyes, the only part of her that seem unchanged by her years. They're still bright and youthful though a ghost passes over them, a ghost of something long past. Her golden hair has faded, the curls thinning out, her pale skin now wrinkling.

"We're here about your daughter, about Evangeline," Zelda says quietly as I stare at the woman in shock.

Her face softens and she opens the door wider, "Come in."

"Thank you," Zelda says, pulling me through the door.

"Make yourself comfortable," my grandmother says, "take a seat..."

"Thank you," Zelda says again, taking a seat on one of the sofas.

She sits on the sofa across from us, waiting expectantly.

Zelda glances at my shocked expression and continues alone, "My name is Zelda and we were wondering if we could ask you some questions about your daughter and what happened to her..."

"Well...what do you want to know?" she asks uncertainly.

"Everything," zelda says with a shrug, "start at the beginning."

The woman seems reserved, unsure if she should go ahead with it but something in the way Zelda speaks convinces her to finally give in. "Well...my daughter married Todd when she was young, right after she got home from school actually. And it wasn't too long after that when she had Link, my grandson," she says, smiling affectionately, though a shiver runs up my spine, my heart clenching uncomfortably. "During those times, there was a lot of turmoil amongst the kingdoms and separatist movements. That was back when Outset was a part of Hyrule. There were riots in the streets, and a lot of the people here revolted, and Todd, being a soldier, a guard, was killed in one of the revolts. And that night...Evangeline came to me after finding out about Todd, saying that people were out to get her, that Todd wasn't killed on accident, that they were trying to kill her...and I...I didn't listen to her. I thought she was grieving for her husband..."

"I'm sorry," Zelda says.

She gives her a halfhearted smile and continues. "It turns out...there was someone that was trying to get to her...well, not to her, but to her baby, to Link. His name was Ganondorf."

My heart nearly stops. Me? He was trying to get to me? But I was just a baby...

Zelda seems to sense my apprehension, "Why would he want to get to a mere child?"

"Well...as I'm sure you know, Ganondorf was a man that lusted after power. He sought to claim the triforce to increase such power. But he played with fate, he found one that could see what would become of him, of his future, and he saw his own downfall. He looked into the future and he didn't like what he saw. And whatever he saw, he thought it could be stopped by killing him...by killing that little baby," she says, her eyes growing misty, her voice thick.

"And then she ran and took her son with her. And they found her by the river the next morning. He killed my daughter," she says, a slight anger in her voice, but almost as if she's come to terms with it.

"And of the boy?" Zelda asks.

"He killed that little boy. He was never found," she says, a single solitary tear running down her cheek.

But he didn't because I'm sitting right here. Ganondorf had seen his future, saw me and Zelda destroying him. He tried to kill me to prevent it from happening...and then when destroying me failed, he turned to Zelda, took a different approach by trying to gain her father's trust. But by doing that, he had set everything in motion. My mother bringing me to Kokiri Forest, me meeting the Great Deku Tree, receiving the Spiritual Stone, bringing it to Zelda, drawing the sword...

He had brought to pass everything he tried to prevent.

"We actually have something to tell you," Zelda says, "but I needed to know that you were who we thought you were."

She inclines her head towards her, glancing over at me in my shell shocked phase. "What is it?"

Zelda looks at me and says, "Your grandson wasn't killed. He's here."

Her face remains placid, eyebrows pulled together, "I'm...I'm not sure what you mean-"

"I mean," Zelda interrupts, "that when your daughter took her son to try and save him, she succeeded. He grew up not knowing who he was. And he's here...this is your grandson."

She finally looks at me as tears fill my eyes. "...Link?" she asks hesitantly, her voice shaking.

A drop of water falls down my cheek as I nod my head briefly. She claps her hands over her mouth and stares at me, taking in everything, her eyes raking over my face.

She stands up and I do the same as she walks over to me, her mouth slightly opened as she draws near and puts her hands on the sides of my face. She lets out a breath and her open lips turn up slightly, turning into a smile, "You are him. You have my daughter's eyes."

I try to turn my lips up into a smile, I truly am happy, but instead another tear falls.

"Oh, sweetheart," she says, pulling me down into a hug, a warm hug, a grandmotherly hug.

I glance over at Zelda and she's smiling, her eyes wide and filled to the brim. I'm glad that she's here, that because of her courage I was able to find my family.

* * *

**Now if you've already forgotten, go watch the Skyward Sword trailer.**


	13. Chapter 13

Hey errybody. How's it floatin'? I feel like I haven't uploaded in a really long time...has it been a really long time? I don't know. If it has, I will account that to my dreaded illness that will not go away. Aaaaaand it better be gone real quick since I leave for Hawaii in like...two days. Yay! Another excuse for me not to write. Apologies dear people. If I was super motivated, I'd have this whole thing up for you by tomorrow. Alas...

Again this is kind of a ...transitional? chapter so it's not all that exciting. You know, there has to be like: exciting chapter, transitional chapter, exciting chapter, transitional chapter...do you get where I'm going with that? That means, that the next time you read, it will most likely be an exciting chapter. That is why you should not give up on me just yet dear people, no, not yet. Anyways, I should stop rambling right now. In other news, did anybody check out So You Think You Can Dance the other night? Go Melanie and Marko! American friends, please vote for them for me.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

"Tell me everything," his grandmother says.

Link sits at the table, a bowl of soup in front of him and roll on his plate as she sits down. "Everything?" he asks with a smile, "I'm not sure I remember what happened yesterday."

"Well, tell me about growing up, about where you live, your friends. Are you his girlfriend?" she asks me over her coffee mug.

I bite my cheek and steal a glance at Link. "Um..." I mutter.

"Not exactly...we have a um...daughter," Link says.

Her eyes widen, "But you're not...together?"

Link and I turn to each other, as we toy with what to say. Eventually Link just bursts out laughing and says, "It's a long story."

She sits back in her chair and folds her arm, a mischievous smile on her face, "I've waited almost twenty-one years...lay it on me."

Link chuckles under his breath and peeks up at me, stepping back from the challenge. I face her again and take a deep breath, rummaging through my brain for a good starting point to explain our bizarre circumstances. "Well..." I say, "as you probably know, Hyrule was at war for the past three years and Link...Link had to go and fight."

"Really?" she asks, shaking her head in disbelief, "You survived that war?"

Link smirks at me, "Barely."

"And at the time," I continue, "we were...sort of, I don't know, engaged." I shrug and shake my head, heat rushing to my face. "But then there was some sort of...mix up, and I received word that Link had died...though at this time, my – our daughter was already...in the picture."

She lets out a sympathetic sigh, "How awful."

I give her an embarrassed smile and go on. "So my father introduced me to another man that I could eventually marry I suppose, to help take care of our daughter and be a father figure in her life...and then Link came back, and things got confusing because this other man and I were supposed to be getting married...but it sort of, um, fell through I guess...and after that, Link and I kind of...rekindled our relationship. And that's where we are now..."

Link tries to stifle a laugh, everything sounds far less complicated by the way I'd put it.

"You two are both from Hyrule then I assume," she states.

I nod, "We both grew up there."

"Well the Princess is getting married today, in fact, Link, you looks as though you were just there. Why aren't you sharing in the festivities?" she asks, pouring me some more tea which I accept with a quiet thank you, my ears starting to burn.

Link leans forward, resting his elbows on the table and rubbing the back of his neck. He lets out an uncomfortable laugh and looks up at me.

"Wait..." she says, "what did you say your name was?"

I lick my lips slightly before saying, "Zelda."

She puts her hand over her mouth, her eyes flashing back and forth from me to Link. "The boy who defeated Ganondorf...his name was Link," she says with cautious realization.

Link just nods in silence, a timid smile pulling the corners of his lips up slightly. Link was generally anything but timid, but when it came to the glory and fame that followed his legacy, he didn't want anything to do with it.

"And the princess..." she continues, "the one that helped him...Princess Zelda."

She pauses, the hesitancy of saying something potentially crazy hanging in the air as Link puts his hand over mine, resting on the table, and squeezes it gently. "Please, Mrs..." I start.

"Brielle, call me Brielle," she says.

"Brielle," I say, "we don't necessarily want people to know that we're here..."

She shakes her head quickly, her eyes wide, "I won't say anything." She puts her hands over her mouth as her eyes soften, a smile hidden behind her fingers, "I just can't believe it... My grandson...saved the world."

"Well," Link says, "I had some help."

"You know," Brielle says, "when I heard that the boy who defeated Ganondorf was named Link, I thought it was so ironic. And I thought, maybe it's him, though I knew that it was crazy to think that."

"Doesn't seem so crazy anymore," I say, smiling at her.

She shakes her head, a laugh bubbling past her lips, "No, now it seems insane. I mean, my grandson, who I thought was dead, defeated Ganondorf, the man that killed my daughter, and had a daughter with the Princess of Hyrule, which means that my great granddaughter is a princess."

"You're right," Link says, smiling at her, "you hear about these kinds of things in story books as a little kid, you don't expect that they actually happen."

"You know," she says, "one day you'll be in the story books and all the little children will want to hear the story about Link and the Princess Zelda."

"Hopefully not for a while. I think I'd want to be dead before I become legend," Link says sarcastically, "I mean, I don't want a whole bunch of children being named after me before I'm even gone."

"Darunia already beat them to the punch," I say.

He bites his cheek, "I suppose that's true."

"Well," Brielle says, clearing away our empty dishes, "I want to visit my great granddaughter sometime in the future. Did you say what you named her?"

I smile at Link and say, "Her name is Evangeline."

She turns around, a look of confused shock on her face. "But...but you never knew your mother, Link...you couldn't have."

Link shakes his head. "I didn't...but I guess the name just felt familiar..."

"He had told me that he loved the name...so when he was gone and I had her, I couldn't think of anything better for her," I say.

Brielle blinks a few times and I imagine that she's trying to disperse the tears in her eyes. She clears her throat and turns back to us with a gentle smile. "It's grown rather late. Do you have somewhere to stay?"

Link and I exchange a look. "To be honest...I don't think we'd planned this far ahead," I admit.

"You'll stay here then. I wouldn't have it any other way," she says firmly.

I bow my head, "Thank you."

She nods, "I have some things of my son's for you to wear to bed, Link. And Princess, I should have a nightgown for you."

"Please, call me Zelda," I say, as she beckons for us to follow her up the stairs. She lights a candle and illuminates the stairwell.

"You have a son?" Link asks.

She makes a small sound that I assume is a yes. "He lives far away, across the ocean with his wife. He just wanted to forget everything here...while I...I couldn't let go."

Link's heavy footsteps behind me cause me to turn around and I find him clutching the banister, heaving himself up the stairs. His legs are still slightly crippled, his body still recovering. "Are you alright?" I ask quietly enough that Brielle won't hear.

He nods slightly and pulls his lips up, trying to reassure me with a smile though I can tell the task is painful for him, that he's still getting used to his body.

"Here we are," she says, coming to the top of the stairs and pushing open a wooden door, "this was his room, you can stay in here." I can't deny that my heart sinks slightly when I see that the bed is a single bed, that the both of us wouldn't fit in it. I had hoped after all this time that I would be able to sleep in his arms again, but I guess I'll have to wait one more night.

She opens a drawer and pulls out some articles of clothing for Link, setting them on the bed. "Thank you for everything," Link says quietly.

She pulls him into a hug, "I'm just so happy to have you, sweetheart. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he says as she leads me away, closing the door behind him.

"And you can sleep in here," she says, opening the door to another bedroom. She takes out a simple dress for me to sleep in and lays it over the end of the bed.

"Thank you so much," I say, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"If you need anything," she says, "just let me know."

I nod as she leaves the room and closes the door behind me. I pull off my gown and drape it over the end of the bed, replacing the nightgown that I pull on. It's a light, soft material, something that will be comfortable to sleep in. I wait a few moments longer until I leave my room to say goodnight to Link.

I push his door open gently, expecting to find him in his bed though he's just sitting on the edge, trying to pull his shirt over his head. "Oh...I'm sorry," I say, "I thought you'd be dressed."

"No, it's fine...come in. I'm just...having some difficulties," he says.

I close the door behind me and walk over to him on the balls of my feet. "Did Malon have to dress you back at the ranch?" I ask sarcastically.

"Mostly...she'd just help me button or tie things up...though, being unable to reach my arms over my head has it's challenges," he says.

I sit down beside him, something like guilt churning in my stomach. I can't steal my eyes away from the scar on his lower stomach, the place where he was stabbed, where the dark magic was sealed inside of him. I reach out and trace my finger over it lightly and he cringes away from my touch, an uncomfortable look on his face.

"I'm sorry," I murmur.

He ghosts his hand over the scar, not touching it but giving himself the impression. "It still stings," he says quietly, the pain I've become used to settling into his eyes.

"What about this one?" I ask softly, letting my hand drift up to the scar in the center of his chest where the arrow pierced his skin, "Does this one still hurt?"

He watches me as he says, "Sometimes...if I dream about the war, I'll wake up and it'll be burning. Like a phantom pain or something."

I wrap my one arm around his torso then, and without contemplating on it, I press my lips to his shoulder. I let them linger there for a moment, breathing onto his skin when I feel a familiar sadness brewing in my chest. I rest my face against his shoulder, keeping my slightly parted lips on his skin and let out warm shaking breaths, water filling my eyes.

He touches my chin and guides my eyes up to meet his, "Why do you cry?"

"Because I'm sad for you," I say softly, one of the tears falling from my eye and trickling onto his hand.

"You needn't be," he whispers, his thumb caressing my cheek.

"So much hardship," I manage, my throat thick with emotion.

"No," he replies, his hand moving up to the side of my face, "not anymore."

He pushes me gently backwards onto his bed and I wait as he arranges himself partially on top of me. His fingers carefully push the hair off my neck and he soothes me with his warm lips, gentle against the soft skin beneath my jaw. I catch my fingers in the fine hair at the bottom of his neck, letting them slip underneath his collar to the smooth skin of his back. Beneath my fingers, small bumps form on his flesh, a quiet shiver rolling through him. He moves his hands back to my face, and brings with them his lips. He brushes them gently to mine, tilting his head slightly to get a better angle.

"Zelda," he says quietly after pulling back, resting his forehead against mine.

My breathing has increased in tempo as I put my hands on the back of his head, securing him to me. "What?"

"Until today," he says slowly, his eyes closed, "I thought that tonight, the woman I was in love with would be sleeping with another man, with his wedding ring around her finger. But now she's not. Now she's here in my arms, and I don't care about what happened to me. I only care that you're here and so am I."

I smile and press my lips to his again, touching his bottom lip with my tongue. "I just came to say goodnight," I whisper.

He laughs against my mouth and eases himself off of me. "Well then, goodnight," he says.

My lips quirk into a smile as I swing my legs over the edge of his bed but he catches my hand before I can walk away. I pause and turn back to him, watching closely as he unfurls my palm in his and traces a heart on it with his index finger.

I tuck my hair behind my ear and lean forward to kneel on his bed. He pulls me forward into his arms as I put my hands on his chest, tracing a heart around the scar in the center, tracing a heart around the place that almost killed him. I touch my lips to his forehead and gently push away, standing back up and reaching for the shirt that lays to the side, discarded there when he'd been unable to put it on. I help him ease it onto his body, coaxing his hands through the arm holes, and tugging on the material down around his waist to make sure that it's on all the way.

I stroke his cheek once with my hand and turn to go back to my room. Once inside I close the door tight, leaning my back against it and sliding down so that I sit on the floor. I put both hands over my mouth so that he won't hear me crying.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hellooo. So I've been back from Hawaii for approximately an hour and eighteen minutes so I thought I'd upload and what not. You can all be proud of me, because I wrote all of this in Hawaii but never had the chance to put it up. And I also wanted to make this part longer but I thought, what the heck, let's leave em' hanging and then maybe I'll upload the rest of this little section tomorrow. I may have become addicted to the cliffhanger ending. :)**

* * *

_**LINK**_

"Good morning," she says as she squeezes my shoulders gently, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

"Morning," I reply. I sit at the table, my grandmother making us breakfast.

"How did you sleep?" she asks, coming to sit down across from me.

It's the first time I see her face since the night before. She looks up at me, expecting a response, but I can't say anything. Her eyes are red, swollen and tired, purple eyelids and dark circles beneath them. She looks as though she's spent the whole night crying.

"Are you alright?" I ask quietly.

She bites her lip, and gives me an unconvincing nod.

I reach across the table and lay my hand over top of hers, "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head. "I miss my baby."

Evangeline. I know I'm not in the same boat as she is, I'm definitely not in any position to stay up crying over her. I mean, I've only known that I'm her father for the past month or so, Zelda has built up a relationship with her for two years. But I understand being unable to stop thinking about her. Ever since that night, since the realization, I've thought about her every night; thought about her growing up, about if I had never known. It's silly, but I've even thought about her falling in love, getting married, I've thought about threatening the man she'll be in love with like Zelda's father did, just to act the part.

"I know," I say softly, "I miss her too."

"I think I'm going to go back...later today," she says.

I nod, "Okay. I'll come too."

She looks to her side, and when she looks back at me there's some bizarre emotion on her face, at least for the circumstances. She looks at me with sympathy. "I don't want to take you away from your family," she says quietly.

When I meet Zelda's eyes, there's hope in them, hope that I'll come with her I guess. But there's also disappointment, like she expects that I'll stay. "You _are_ my family," I say softly.

I glance up at Brielle and her right cheek is lifted in a slight smile as she leans over a sizzling pan. She's obviously listening to us, but just has the decency to act like she isn't.

"Besides," I say, my eyes drifting back to Zelda's. "I can come and visit. And Brielle, you'll come and visit Hyrule, won't you?" I ask, directing my voice from Zelda to her.

"I would love to see Hyrule," she says, turning around as she fishes the fried eggs out of the pan and onto two plates. She sets them down in front of us and sits at one of the chairs. "You have a little daughter to get back to, but you can always come back. Bring her next time," she suggests.

"See," I say, taking a bite of my eggs, "I'm not leaving for good."

She purses her lips and scoops up her own food with her fork. "I know...but if you don't want to come with me now, you don't have to."

I shrug, "Well, I should probably get back to the ranch. Explain some things."

"As should I. With my father," she sighs and puts her head in her hand, "there are probably so many complications because of what happened. He's not going to be a happy man when I show up."

"Do you want me to come with you?" I ask.

She waits for a moment and says, "Maybe it'd be better if you didn't."

I smirk at her and take another bite. "We're on the same page with that."

* * *

"Please...do come back as soon as it's convenient for you. And write too, I want to hear from you," Brielle says as we stand in a silent grove, about to transport back to Hyrule.

"Of course we will. Once we sort everything out back in Hyrule we'll come back and hopefully be able to bring Evangeline," I say.

"Good," she says, gathering me into a hug again, "be safe until then."

"Goodbye," I say, stepping back and adjusting my shirt.

"Farewell, Princess," Brielle says, curtsying to her.

Zelda bites her lip and extends her arms to her. "You've helped Link and I so much. Thank you," she says softly, giving Brielle a gentle hug.

"It was my pleasure," Brielle says, and when she steps back there are tears in her eyes and she has to clear her throat before speaking again, "I'll see you both soon?"

I nod and look towards Zelda. She steps close to me and places her hand over my face, and soon after we're leaving the ground, leaving Outset, and returning to Hyrule.

We land before the draw bridge in front of Castle Town, it's still early morning, the birds have just awoken, the people are mostly still asleep in their beds. Zelda wanted it this way, so that she wouldn't have to confront all of Hyrule before confronting her own father.

"Well...I should go," she says quietly, taking two steps backwards.

I nod, "I'll see you soon."

In an instant she erases the two steps that she took and she is back in my arms, her hands wrapped around my neck, her lips on mine.

"Promise me," she says, pulling her forehead down to mine, our lips close but parted, "promise me that I'll see you soon."

I think back to that night almost three years ago, as we sat together on the hill outside the castle, blood and tears on my face as she asked something very similar of me. I think about how far we have come, how much we've come through, and I think about how I couldn't promise her back then. I was too afraid of breaking that promise and it killed me, watching her as she waited and being unable to say anything.

But now there is no war calling me, no evil on the horizon. There's not another man in the picture, there isn't anything holding me back.

"I promise," I say, my voice restrained with happy tears as I pull her face gently into my shoulder, burying my nose in her hair, "I promise."

* * *

"Link!" Malon's voice cries as she flings herself at me, wrapping me in her arms.

"Hey guys," I say to her and Talon, standing just behind her.

"We didn't think you'd be home so soon...it's good to see you," she says, finally letting go and smiling at me.

I nod, "I'm going to get changed...these clothes I wore to the wedding aren't very good for every day activities."

Malon laughs, it's like a song, her angelic voice can turn anything into a song. "Are you going to need my help? Just to unbutton your cuffs?" she asks quietly, cautiously.

"That would be nice, thanks," I say.

She nods to me, clearly pleased that I still need her help and nods to her father to go back in the house. We walk to the far side of the corral where the stone building is, the place I called home once. The cows and hay were replaced with a single cot and modest dresser, and I found solace there, at least for a while.

I open my dresser and pull out one of my old tunics, worn so that the material is soft. I turn back to Malon and hold out my arms to her, asking with my eyes for help. She quickly goes to work, undoing the dainty buttons on my sleeves. "So, it was pretty crazy what happened at the wedding, huh?" she asks, her head bent in concentration.

"Yeah, she was pretty shaken up," I say.

"I can only imagine. What did she tell you?" she asks.

"Um...I don't know, she was just upset but I think she was kind of happy too. I don't think their relationship was what everyone saw," I say.

"And did you... did you find your parents? Well... their home?" she asks, and I know this is what she's wanted to know first though she's tried to build up to it.

"Yes," I say.

She stops what she's doing. "You did? What did you see?"

"Well, we found my grandmother," I say, shrugging and accidentally jerking my wrist from her hand.

Her eyes grow wide. "You have a grandmother? Well, I mean of course you have a grandmother, but you found her? Link, that's amazing!" she exclaims, dropping my hand and slinging her arms around my neck.

She pulls back and there's a look of pure excitement on her face for me. This is why I love having her as my friend, she is probably more involved with my life and experiences than I am. But she also knows when to leave it alone, she knows when to step back and let me live in silence for a while.

I'm contemplating our friendship when she puts her hands on my collar and kisses me, she kisses me hard.

My eyes widen to find her lost in my lips, her eyes closed, her cheeks burning red. My hands hover in the air, unsure of what to do. I curse myself for kissing her before the wedding, because it hasn't been very long to completely change my perspective. She starts to open her mouth wider, to deepen the kiss, and that's when I put my hands on her arms, and push her back.

"Malon-" I start.

"I'm sorry, too fast," she says, looking at her feet.

"No, Malon. I have to tell you something," I say hesitantly.

"What is it?" she asks, looking back up, concern creasing her brow.

"You know how I was in the war?" I ask slowly, gently pushing her further away, "Well...she – Zelda got a letter, there was a mix up or something, she thought I was dead."

"Okay..." Malon says.

"She got engaged to Prince Lawrence, you know, and had her daughter," I say, hoping that she'll catch on.

She nods but doesn't say anything.

I take a deep breath, "But her daughter isn't Lawrence's child... she's... she's mine."

She sucks in a quick breath and stares back at me, her eyes so wide that I can see clearly when tears start to leak into them. She shakes her head slowly back and forth. "B-but how?" she stutters.

"It happened right before the war. Malon, I didn't know until maybe a month ago," I say.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asks, and her concern turns to the slightest of anger, her voice thick.

"I didn't think it would matter. I thought Zelda was still going to marry Lawrence," I try to explain though nothing seems to be coming out like I want it to.

"But you were still in love with her, you're in love with her now and you just used me," she says, pushing on my chest.

"Malon, I have no excuses. I was confused and I had no right to do that to you," I say.

"But you're just going to go back to her. You just came back to get your stuff, isn't that right?" she asks, walking away from me and the emotion becoming clear in her voice.

"Please... try to understand," I say softly.

"You've never cared about me like you care about her," she says, walking towards the door.

"That's not true!" I say, louder than I mean to but with urgency to keep her from leaving. She does stop though, her hand on the doorknob.

"I loved you Malon. I _do_ love you Malon. You have been my best friend and you have been the only constant person throughout everything. Ganondorf, the war, and every single time in between. I don't know where I would be if it wasn't for you. You have no idea how reassuring it was to know that you'd always be here and that you'd always be the same. I lost so many friends and I have lost almost my whole family. I don't want to lose you too, because you're one of the only people I can count on," I finally finish. She hasn't turned around and there is water building in my eyes.

It's quiet, save for her slight sniffling.

"Malon, did I ever tell you about Saria?" I ask.

She nods once slowly, "You talked about her once."

"She was my best friend for the whole first part of my life. She was from the forest too, and she was one of the only friends I had. And I left her to find the princess, to help her, and when I came back she wasn't the same. She's a sage, and I never get to see her now," I speak softly.

She doesn't say anything in response.

I feel a lump in my throat, an aching feeling that makes it hard to talk. "And I miss her... so much."

She finally turns around, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"I don't want to lose you like I lost her," I say.

She lets out a sob and lunges towards me, burying her face in my chest. "I love you, fairy boy."

"I love you too," I say, wrapping my arms around her shoulders, smiling at the nickname she hasn't used for a few years now.

She looks up at me and though her eyes are still sad, there's also a resolution in them, to hold that place in my heart I'm afraid that she'll leave. She touches my face with her hand gently and smiles slightly at me. "Go and get her."

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

I open the door a crack and poke my head inside, finding my baby girl sitting in her room facing away from me playing with her toys, one of the maids sitting in her rocking chair and keeping an eye on her.

"Princess," she says, standing up and curtseying.

"Thank you, you can go back to your quarters now, I'll take her," I say politely.

She nods and leaves the room as I near closer to her. "Hey, sweetheart," I say softly.

She turns around, her eyes growing wide, "Mommy!"

My eyes begin to tear up as she stands up, toddling over towards me and extending her arms. I scoop her up in my arms and kiss her face everywhere I can reach.

"Momma," she says, "Stoppit."

"I missed you," I say, hugging her close.

"Put me down," she says, her voice garbled, her hands and feet struggling against my tight hold.

"Okay, okay," I say, setting her back on her feet.

"Momma?" she asks after a moment.

I sit down in the rocking chair beside her, "Yeah, pumpkin?"

"Where's daddy?"

I swallow, I look back into her big wide eyes, just like Link's, though I know she's talking about Lawrence. "Ev, daddy's not going to be... he's not going to be coming home," I say.

Her eyes fill with concern, "Why?"

"Well," I say, slipping my hand into her little one, "mommy and daddy aren't gonna get married anymore."

"Why?" she asks again.

"Because, well... we don't love each other like we used to," I say quietly.

"Why?"

"Because things changed and mommy loves someone else," I try to explain.

"But why?"

I bury my face in my hands, "Do you remember mommy's friend, Link, Evangeline?"

"Yes," her sweet voice says.

"Mommy loves Link a lot. And he might come here, and he'll be like daddy, and he'll play with you and have fun with you," I say, sweeping some of her unruly hair away from her face.

"Link be new daddy?" she asks, her baby voice turning the L into a W sound.

"I don't know, sweety. Maybe," I say.

She looks down and turns back to her toys. There weren't any tears, maybe because she's too young to understand the fact that Lawrence will never come home. Or maybe it's because Lawrence never was in her life like he should have been. He was always at meetings, councils, and when he came home he wasn't one to sit with Evangeline and play with her toys. He was just 'daddy' to her, but that rarely meant anything more than that he and I were her parents.

But I know that should she have the chance to call Link daddy, the role, the title, will take on a completely new meaning.

There's a knock on the door and when I turn towards it my father is twisting the handle and peeking through. He had never had a lot of patience, and waiting for someone to answer a door for him was generally out of the question. My heart drops slightly and my face grows hot as his expression changes from happiness to confusion to sorrow to anger all very quickly.

"Zelda?"

"Hi...Dad," I say slowly.

He puts his lips in between his teeth and stares at me, a face I know well, one that means he's trying to contain the first words that pop into his head, probably for Evangeline's sake this time.

"We need to talk," he says with every ounce of patience in his body.

"Where's Evangline's nanny?" I ask.

"I'll have her come," he says, pulling out the gossip stone he'd reinvented to fit in one of his many pockets. I wait as he informs whoever sits on the other side listening that the nanny is required and then fidgets uncomfortably across the room from me. "Where did you go?" he asks after a moment.

"To Outset," I say calmly.

His eyebrows raise slightly, "Outset? What's in Outset?"

"Link's family," I say.

"You said Link had no family," he says, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"I thought he didn't, as did he. But then he saw that picture, the one of Mom and her best friend. That woman was his mother, and he was the baby she was holding," I explain.

"But how can you know if he was abandoned at such a young age?" he asks.

"He wasn't abandoned, his parents were killed, and the woman was wearing his mother's wedding ring that he was left with. We found his grandmother and stayed there for the night," I say, hoping to bring closure to the conversation.

"Hmm," is all he says. We wait in silence until her nanny arrives.

It's an awkward exchange when she knocks on the door a few minutes later, my father and I avoiding glances, Evangeline screaming as I try to hand her off holding handfuls of my skirt to try and keep me from going. Not to mention the fact that I'm nervous about what he's going to say about Link, what he's going to say about what happened.

He leads me down to his office quietly once we've escaped through the door and Evangeline's cries are cut off, and sits down at his desk, offering me the seat across from it.

"Father," I begin, "I'm sorry about all of this."

"Are you? Because last time I checked, you told me that you couldn't marry Lawrence. So according to my information, everything turned out exactly how you wanted it to," he says methodically, his voice not giving way to any anger.

I bite my cheek and say, "I'm sorry that because of what happened, there are probably serious consequences that you'll have to deal with."

"No, Zelda. There won't probably be serious consequences. There will definitely be serious consequences. All of our negotiations with Falvale will have to be reneged. Our economy will plunge deeper into the slump it was entering due to the war and the costs to repair our country after what Ganondorf did to it, and I will be forced to remain in power until you can find a husband," he explains with bizarre patience.

"I can take power and fix this if you'll just let me-" I begin quietly.

"Marry him?" he asks, "Tell me, Zelda, did he ask you to get out of your engagement? Was this all part of the plan?"

My mouth falls open, "Dad, it was Lawrence who left."

"Don't deny the fact that you were relieved that he did," he says strictly.

My lips tremble as I try to explain myself and the circumstances I faced. "Link _begged_ me to marry Lawrence because he knew it would be better for me. So stop criticizing him because you don't know a single thing about him."

"I know that he doesn't know how to rule a country, Zelda," he says, his voice growing louder.

"What happened to you? What happened to my father that I loved and that was kind? The one that tried to teach me that the people out there are not so different from us?" I question.

"...His country began to fall and he couldn't save it. His people looked up to a forest boy more than to him," he says after a long moment.

"Jealousy? Is that honestly what is keeping you from trying to understand?"

"No, trying to save this country is."

I let out a deep breath and look him directly in the eye. "Continue the trade agreements with Falvale, the war truce, the civil defense agreement. Offer them your allegiance during times of war, not only times of peace, rather than your daughter. We can provide weapons if they can provide wheat and crops. These alliances are not as fragile as you think they are. I will speak to Lawrence, I will make things happen. I will fix this if you will talk to him... to Link, and hear him out," I conclude.

"You have so much faith in him," he murmurs.

"As should you, Father. He saved this country twice before," I say.

A hint of a smile graces his face as he says, "You are wise, daughter."

A soft laugh escapes my lips. "You and I are not so different."

"Where is he?" he asks.

"Home," I reply.

"When will he be here?"

I shrug, "Soon."

"This isn't a yes, Zelda," he reminds me.

"I know." But he's willing to give him a chance, and that's more than we've ever had.

* * *

_**LINK**_

"Do you think you'll still come back and visit?" Malon asks.

I take another pair of pants from my drawer and fit them into bag Malon is helping me pack. "I'll certainly try my hardest. You guys are like my family."

"I think my dad will miss you a lot, it'll mean he's going to have to make up for you," she says with a laugh.

"Well, have you ever considered hiring another farmhand... you know, to replace me?"

She looks down and folds the tunic in her hands. "No... I guess I hadn't really thought about it. And I guess I never really wanted to believe that this was... permanent," she says, trying to pull her lips into a smile, though she's hindered by the doubt and rejection in her voice.

I nudge her chin up with my knuckle. "I think you should. Who knows, you may just save another poor guy like me that just needs a place to stay and people to look after him," I say with an encouraging smile.

She rubs her forehead with her hand and puts a vague smile on her face. "Yeah... maybe."

"Helping people is what you do best," I say firmly.

"Thank you," she says and then asks, "when do you think you'll go?"

I bite my cheek, "Hm... maybe tomorrow? Traveling at night didn't exactly work out well last time."

She laughs sarcastically at the memory. "Oh yes, I remember quite well. You not coming home, getting the letter about you being in the hospital, receiving another letter about your surgery, thinking you were going to die, staying up late with dad by the fire. That was a fun time... It gives me peace of mind to know that that won't happen this time at least," she says, her voice growing quieter as her rant comes to a close.

I purse my lips and go back to packing clothes quietly.

"Is that everything?" she asks suddenly and when I look up the last of my drawers is empty, the only thing remaining to be packed is my hat, which sits in my hands. The hat that I wore throughout my adult life of my journey, the one Navi used to sleep inside.

Navi, I remember being young and thinking her advice wasn't relevant. That I could get by just fine without her despite her being my only friend at times. What I would do to have her now, to tell me what to do.

"I think so," I finally reply.

"There's just one more thing," she says.

"What's that?" I ask.

"Epona," she says, her face serious, "I want you to have her."

I shake my head, "Epona's yours."

One of her cheeks pulls up into a smile. "She never liked it here. She always wanted to be out with you... just take her," she says the last part with a whisper.

I cock my head to the side and say softly, "You already gave me the cow, Mal."

She laughs and rolls her eyes. "You won the cow. I'm giving you Epona."

"Well I want to give you something too," I say, digging around in my bag for a moment before finding what I was looking for. "This is the hat I used to wear when I was a kid. It doesn't fit anymore and I don't know why... but I've just been dragging it around with me. Trying to hold onto that – being a kid... I guess."

She takes it in her hands and smiles at me, "I _was_ the one that coined the name 'Fairy Boy.'"

I nod. "I don't know what you'll do with it."

"It's something to remember you by," she says, holding it up to her heart. She lets out a breath of a laugh and says, "It smells like your hair."

I scratch the back of my head and cringe, "Is that a bad thing?"

She lets out her laugh this time, rather than keeping it in. "No, it's a Link thing."

"So... good?" I ask skeptically.

"Yes, Link. It's a good thing... well, I better go back in the house. Sleep well, okay?"

I look towards the window at the top of the building and find the stars framed by stone. "I will, goodnight, Malon."

"Goodnight," she says, leaning forward, the hat clutched in her hand and kisses the top of my head.

"Goodnight," I say, unable to return her token, because it would mean something different than hers. It wouldn't be reassuring like hers was, it would hurt her. So my words have to suffice.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

"Goodnight, sweet pea," I say, stroking Evangeline's hair gently as her eyes flutter closed. She snuggles further into her knit blankets inside the safety of her crib, and drifts off easily into sleep. I wish it was still that easy for me.

I try to take as long as I can to get back to my empty room, taking all the long passages and walking with slow short strides. I haven't been completely alone at night for so long, and even Lawrence, with our disconnected relationship was a comfort when I would wake from night terrors about my past, replaying the battle a different way than it turned out.

My door looms above me, tall and menacing. I enter it and light what candles I can find, trying to provide some illumination. In the emptiness, changing, feeling my bare skin with nothing but the cold air against it feels foreign. It feels terrifying.

I lay in my bed for moments, just sitting and gazing around in the silence, just to make sure that everything is sitting still, that everything is quiet, before laying back and closing my eyes.

I think it's a dream at first when I hear the light jiggling of the balcony door knob, though it startles me into waking. Fear is the first thing that strikes my heart, which is soon soothed by the knowledge that the only person that would climb up my wall would be Link. I laugh softly to myself and try to calm my racing heart as I swing my legs over the edge of my bed and make my way towards the door that separates me from the pitch black night.

I turn the handle and push the door open though a blade of wind slices past me and snuffs the candles I had lit. A cold sweat condenses on the back of my neck as I peer out onto the balcony, Link shrouded in darkness.

"I-I thought you were... going to come tomorrow," I say, my voice slow, unsure.

He takes a quick step towards me, his hand raising to my face quickly and for a moment I think he's going to hit me.

And that's when his pale skin catches the moonlight and I realize that he's not Link at all.

I barely have time to scream before he smothers my mouth with a cloth and my eyes grow dark.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey everybody. I know I said I'd have this up maybe yesterday, so sorry that you had to wait a whole 24 hours longer. Anyways, surprisingly I think this story might by drawing to a close, maybe a couple chapters left. Who knows? That's pretty exciting don't you think? Anyhow, here's this. And I hope you like it and I hope everything makes sense and comes full circle... I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how this was going to work and I wrote this story as I went without planning things out beforehand so I hope everything seems legitimate. Okay, go ahead and read.**

* * *

_**LINK**_

I remember something...

Though the dull thudding in my temple is making it hard to.

It might have been a dream, though the heat around me makes me skeptical. It shouldn't be this hot in my room.

Someone had come into my room, that much I can remember clearly. I had thought it was Malon initially, but then they had lurched at me, putting something over my face that made it hard to breathe. The rest is fuzzy.

I blink a couple times, expecting painfully bright light, but coming up with a tight black mesh in front of my eyes, like the weaving of thread; a bag of some sort. Through it I can see the lazy waving of palm fronds above me, their silhouette against a bright blue sky. I swallow and bring my hands to my face, tugging at the material to find it loose around my neck so that I can pull it off my head. I was right, it was a bag that had been placed over my face, I'm guessing to keep me from seeing where I had come to, despite the fact that I'd been knocked out during the process.

But that's not what surprises me the most. To my left, laying unconscious is a girl is a cream silky night gown, a similar bag placed over her face though her blonde hair escapes it's confines.

Zelda.

I quickly scramble over to her and pull the bag off her face, finding her eyes still closed, her face placid. I slip my arms under her shoulders and shake her gently. "Zelda," I say softly, "Zelda, wake up."

Her eyelashes flutter briefly and her eyes finally open lazily, resting on her feet until I say her name again. Then her eyes flash to me, and recognition fills them, recognition and fear because maybe she's remembering what happened.

"Link?" she asks desperately, trying to sit up, "What are you doing here? Where are we?"

"We're at the Desert Colossus. As for what we're doing here, all I know is that someone came to my home last night and took me," I say, helping her to sit.

There's confusion on her face, "The Spirit Temple? But why?"

Without hesitation I push her down and slide in front of her, turning to face the one who had snuck up behind us, only to give himself away while loading his bow. His face is hooded as he aims the arrow directly at me. "Who are you?" I ask.

He lowers his bow for a moment and I consider attacking him, but I know I would be too slow, and I fear for Zelda's safety as she clutches my arm. He pulls out two strips of fabric and tosses them towards us. "We walk the rest of the way," he says and jerks his chin towards the fabric, "put those on."

He raises his bow again as I hold my arms up in surrender, crawling forward to take the material he's given us. I turn to Zelda and put the blindfold over her eyes as she lets out a quiet, shaking sob.

"What's happening?" she asks breathlessly.

"Shh, it's going to be okay," I whisper, tying it in a knot around the back of her head.

"Now you," he demands.

I nod, taking my blindfold and wrapping it around my own eyes.

I hear the slight creaking of his bow as he disarms it, waiting for further instruction. He suddenly grips my wrists and is tying rope around them, not allowing any space either. His breathing is staggered, almost like he's nervous, though I'm not one to talk.

He leaves me there for a moment as he goes to Zelda, tying the rope around her too I assume. She lets out a small cry of pain as I can hear the brushing of the rope against itself as he tightens the knot.

"Don't hurt her-" I say.

"Shut up," he says abruptly.

He pulls us to our feet and loops a metal chain through our arms, pulling us from a distance across the hot sand. There's an animal with him, a horse I think, one he must be riding on as he tows us to who knows where.

We've only been walking for a few steps or so when the balls of my feet start to burn in the sand. Being taken in our sleep, Zelda nor I are wearing shoes, or anything to protect us from the dangerous sun.

I hear Zelda stumble, followed by the clanging of chains as the man tries to yank her to her feet. "Get up," he commands.

"I can't, the sand is burning my feet," she cries softly, not expecting any pity.

"Get up or I swear I will kill you here," he says menacingly.

"Wait," I interject, "just let me carry her."

"It'll slow us down," he argues.

"I'll be fine, just please, let me carry her," I plead.

"Hurry up then," he says impatiently.

I kneel by her side, reaching out gingerly to try and find her and pull her into my arms though it's difficult because of the rope handcuffs. I end up having to wrap my arms around her, her legs dangling over my right arm, her back cradled in my left, and her arms looped around my neck.

"Thank you," she whispers and places a blind kiss on the left side of my upper lip. Her lips are dry, the hot air draining them of moisture.

Carrying her makes it harder. Harder to keep my mind concentrated on my task.

I'm recording how many steps we've taken, every turn, every slight change in direction. Just so that, wherever we're going to, I can find my way out of it.

"Link?" Zelda asks softly.

"Mhmm?" I murmur.

"Where do you think we're going?" she asks.

I shake my head though I know she can't see it with her blindfold on. "I don't know."

"We're here," the man says after some time.

I stop and do my best to set Zelda down. I hear him dismounting his horse and his shoes shifting in the sand near us and suddenly my blindfold is ripped from my eyes. I squint, the sunlight blinding, and wait for my pupils to adjust.

I don't know what I expected to find, but what I see shocks me.

It's a small stone silo-looking home in the middle of the vast desert. There isn't much here, no room for anyone else, no room for torture equipment of other prisoners.

He pulls on the chain that is still attached to our handcuffs and leads us through the small opening into the house. From there, we walk down a spiraling flight of stairs into a basement with a stone floor and no windows, save for one in a corner that's had the glass blown out and is boarded up with wood, though sand still spills in and makes a pile swept up against the wall below it.

Before the window, dividing the room in half, are bars that run from floor to ceiling. Cells.

He opens up the door to one of them and removes Zelda's handcuffs before shoving her inside, locking the door behind her. He puts me in the one beside it so that Zelda and I can see one another, but we're separated by solid steel bars.

The man locks the door and then leaves.

Zelda kneels on the ground, her hands folded over her heart. I'm sure she's consulting with the sages, maybe even the Goddesses, praying and what not. But after a moment, her serene face quirks an eyebrow, like she's concentrating so hard that it's painful. She lets out a gasp and squeezes her eyes closed, her breathing becoming more ragged. It's as though she's fighting a battle that I can't see.

I fall to my knees and wrap my fingers around the bars separating us. "Zelda. Zelda, what's wrong?" I ask, reaching my hand through though it only reaches far enough to just graze her arm.

Her eyes flash open at my touch and she falls forwards onto her palms, panting, her arms shaking.

"Zelda?" I ask cautiously.

"There's something blocking me," she pants, trying to swallow as much air as possible.

"What do you mean?" I ask, watching her carefully.

She finally looks to me, her eyes full of terror. "I can't even pull together enough power to transport one of us out of here. Something's suppressing it."

I shake my head, "Zelda, what's happening?"

"I don't know," she says. She covers her mouth with one hand and lets out a soft cry of fear, "I don't know."

"Come here," I murmur, holding my hand out towards her and she takes it as tears start to fill her eyes. I pull her towards me and put my hand on the side of her face. "We're going to get out of here, okay?"

She nods, covering my hand with hers and intertwining our fingers. "Okay."

Zelda's sleeping. It's dark outside now, and the hot sun has turned into frigid night. I'm trying to keep my shivering quiet, to avoid waking her up. She's curled up in the far corner, her arms wrapped around herself trying to conserve every bit of heat.

I lean my head back against the wall and clench my teeth down, trying to keep them from chattering as I pull my knees up to my chest and cross my arms so that they're protected by my knees. I wish I was wearing something warmer, rather than the clothes that I'd worn to bed; a light cotton shirt and pants.

Though I think I got it better than Zelda in her dress.

My eyes are tired, but my body refuses to let them shut long enough to fall asleep. My mind is spinning too, trying to think of ways to escape, thinking of what we did to deserve this.

But a face full of sand that's blown in through a crack in the wooden boards above me makes me not really care.

I spit out what I can and stand up, eyeing the window for some way to block the sand from coming in.

And then I see something that might not even work, but it's at least _something_ to work with. The boards are hammered into the pane with long nails, nails that I could try to pry from their spot. I would only need one, one so that it wouldn't be noticeable if it was missing.

I walk closer to the wall and try to find some stones jutting from the wall as leverage to pull me up high enough to reach the window. I find one for my foot, and try to wedge my numb fingers into crevices though they slip a few times, the lack of blood circulating through them making it hard to grip.

I shake my hands a few times and go at it again and this time I'm able to reach the window. I take the head of the nail in between my fingernails and carefully wiggle it back and forth, trying to loosen it.

My foot slips then, and I fall, crushing my knee against the stone wall and ripping my index fingernail. I don't feel all of the pain for a few moments until the blood starts rushing to my fingertips, gathering on the edges of my fingernail and running down my hand. I try to stay quiet as I squeeze it in my other hand, sitting on the ground as I inspect the crimson stain my knee is making on my pants. My finger starts to throb and when I wipe away some of the blood, I see that half of the fingernail has been torn off.

I wrap it in the end of my shirt and try to take my mind away from here, back to a place where had I been cold, I could pull my blankets up to my neck.

I feel light headed and my body is starting to shut down to conserve heat, I know that sleep won't be far behind. I lay on my side, trying not to get sand in my eyes or mouth, and think of the forest. After a while I think I hear Saria's voice, and for a very brief moment, I think I feel her hand, gently petting my hair. And in that moment, all the pain and the cold collapses and all I can feel is her warm hand in my hair.

But that's impossible. I could blame it on the cold, the lack of food, or the minor blood loss.

But I know that I'm dreaming.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

When I wake up there's light streaming through the wooden boards in Link's cell. It's still cold, but once the sun has come up it will become unbearably hot. Link is awake, sitting in the corner of his cell with dark circles under his eyes. I wonder if he's slept at all, but that's not all that's bothering me as I gaze at him, there are brown stains all over his shirt and pant leg.

"Why is there blood on you?" I ask.

He looks over at me and then down at himself. He clears his throat before saying, "I hurt myself."

I narrow my eyes, "Doing what?"

He shakes his head and a tear I hadn't seen gathering in his eye rolls down the side of his face. "Trying to climb up to the window."

I crawl over to the barrier of bars separating us and rest my forehead between two of them.

"Did you sleep at all?" I ask.

He gives me a feeble smile and says, "A little."

"Sleep now then," I say sympathetically, "sleep now when it's warming up."

He doesn't have chance to respond however, when we hear footsteps echoing down the staircase and the man from yesterday returns. He's still wearing a hood and a piece of cloth over his mouth like the Gerudo guards do to keep the sand off their skin.

In his hand is a small tin cup that he puts about a foot in front of our cells so that we can reach it. Both Link and I look skeptical.

"It's water," he informs us.

"How are we supposed to believe you?" Link asks, his voice lost from it's usual conviction.

"How much do you want to live?" he counters.

"I thought you were prepared to kill us, I didn't think that you were trying to keep us alive," Link spits back.

The man crouches down in front of us so that his eyes are on level with Link. "I'm not going to be the one to kill you. You'll have to wait for that, so in the meantime, drink the water," he hisses.

"What about food?" I ask, "We can't survive without food."

His eyes jerk towards me and narrow. "Thank you for educating us, Princess," he says condescendingly, "but are you aware of how _long_ a human can survive without food?"

I clench my jaw and nod.

"And has it been that long?" he asks.

I don't respond, just continue to glare at him.

He stands back up and peers down at us. "I'm not the one that's supposed to kill you... no. But if you try to escape, I will before you have the chance to return to your homes. I can promise you that. And Zelda, I'll kill you first."

He turns to leave and I can't deny the weight that has wrapped itself around my heart, but that does not stop me from saying, "I'm not afraid of you."

He turns slowly back to me. "No, of course not. Noble Princess Zelda, not afraid to die, is she?"

I swallow as he makes his way slowly to me and kneels right in front of the cell, so close that I can hear his breath.

"But, Princess, if I were you, I _would_ be worrying about that little girl at home, wondering where her mother is."

My eyes widen. Evangeline.

"Kidnapping a woman who could fight back was easy enough, I can't imagine how easy it'll be to take a baby from her crib," he mocks, his voice so soft I wonder if Link can hear him.

I can't see his face but I can tell from the way his eyes change that he's smiling. I'm left stunned as he stands up and leaves us once again.

"He's not going to hurt her, Zelda," Link says softly.

I shake my head slowly. "Link, we're both going to die in here."

"Don't," he says, "we'll get out of here. Now drink that water, you're going to get dehydrated."

I turn to look at him and he's taking the cup of water and putting it inside my cell. "What about you?" I ask.

He shakes his head with a weary smile, "I'll be fine."

I take the cup of water in my shaking hands and bring it to my lips. It's warm, and there's some sand sitting at the bottom of it that grits in my teeth, but it's water. I know I should have given some of it to Link, but I'm not as strong as he is. I try to tell myself that he wouldn't have taken any should I have offered, but I know deep down that I'm just weak.

Too weak to save us.

* * *

_**LINK**_

It's been five days. Zelda's completely worn out and sleeps most of the time, trembling and shivering even in the burning heat of midday. We sit side by side with the bars between us, her hand in mine as she shakes slightly, her toes curled up though they look like they have no blood in them. Her lips are a dark purple, her skin pale and her eyes engulfed in dark circles. She brings my hand to her lips and kisses it repeatedly, her lips cold as ice.

I stare up at the nail I've continued to work at for the past couple of days, most of my fingernails broken and the skin beneath them raw. I've been able to pull the nail out about a quarter of an inch out of the wood, soon I'll be able to wrap my fingers around it.

I work at night, when I'm sure our captor won't be coming in. He sees us once every one or two days, bringing a tin of water, a scrap of food. Never anything to satisfy the hunger or thirst that have been plaguing us.

The sun is disappearing, the cold blue light of twilight filtering through the cracks overhead. The air is chilly now but at least I know that I can do what I need to do now without the fear of him coming back. Zelda has her head rested against the bars, her eyes closed in sleep though her hand still grips mine tightly. I reach my other hand through the bars as a pang of fear strikes my body for a moment as I lay my hand gently on her chest and feel for her heart beat. It comes back, throbbing against my skin and all of my fears cease but the anxiety of her dying right under my nose here is constantly in the back of my mind.

I carefully uncurl her hand from around mine and lay it in her lap, standing up and finding the familiar stones jutting from the wall to climb on. I start to pry on the nail again, able to use the pads of my fingers slightly, rather than just my fingernails which is far less painful, and far more effective. I twist the nail in my hands and he seems to be growing progressively looser until I can fit almost my whole finger in the space between the nail and the board.

I pull hard on it and it slides out easily another inch before getting caught again. My eyes widen in surprise as I continue to gently move it back and forth and it slides further and further out.

I'm so enthralled in what I'm doing that I don't hear the footsteps coming down the stairs until a voice bellows, "What do you think you're doing?"

I turn around, yanking my hand away and falling from the wall to sit on the floor. Zelda jolts awake and glances around disoriented. The man sets his lantern down and opens my door as I put up my hands in defense. He winds up his foot and kicks my face hard.

I fall to the ground and cup my jaw in my hand, blood on my lip.

"Stop!" Zelda screams.

He grabs my collar and yanks me up, "What were you doing? Trying to break through the window? Huh? Sending a message to your little friends? What were you doing?" he demands.

I don't answer, my head pounding as another blow hits my stomach.

"Please, leave him alone!" Zelda is crying.

Another blow to my ribs. I cough and hot blood spills past my lips.

"What were you doing?" he shouts again.

Another kick. I mumble something incoherently as blood bubbles over my words, which thankfully causes him to stop for a moment. He leans down close to me and listens intently. "What?" he spits.

"I heard... something," I cough out, "I was trying to see... what it was."

He shoves me back to the floor and leaves the cell, slamming the door behind him. "I was coming to leave this lantern so you wouldn't freeze to death. But I don't even care anymore," he says, bringing his foot down and crushing the lantern so that the room is dark once more.

He storms off, leaving me on the ground to try and pull my way over to Zelda who is reaching out to me, her breathing quick but her face full of relief. She holds my face in her hands and wipes the blood from my chin with her fingers. "Are you alright?" she asks, her voice groggy.

I nod, looking down as I unfurl my hand, the nail held safely inside.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

He's finally sleeping now which makes me able to relax a little bit.

I've been so worried that he's going to get sick, and that no one will be able to help him, not even me. And then...

But I don't want to think about what could happen, he's resting now, that's all that matters.

His lip is swollen, split on the left side with blood crusted on it. His eyes look sunken, every bit of light that I love about him sucked out. His hands are clenched in fists, wrapped loosely around his body, his chest rising and falling so slowly.

I want to be by him, hold him in my arms, run my fingers through his hair and have him hold me with no intentions of letting go. I want to hold my little girl between us and know that we won't be separated. But I don't think I'll ever know that, not with people in this world like the man that keeps us here, people like Ganondorf who just want to see suffering, they want to see the world burn.

"Zelda?" a voice asks.

I whirl around to find him, laying on his side, his eyes barely open but looking intently at me. "Link? Did you... sleep well?" I know it's a dumb question.

"I'm going to get us out of here," he says quietly, "I just needed enough... strength."

I shake my head, "How? I can't warp us out-"

"This," he says, opening one of his fists and revealing a long rusted nail.

I stare down at it as he tries to sit up, grasping his ribs as he does so with a pained expression. "How?" I ask.

He clicks his tongue and shakes his head disapprovingly, a hint of his old humor able to show through. "Nobody taught the princess how to pick a lock?"

My eyes wide, "You're going to pick the lock? You know _how_ to pick a lock?"

"Zelda, I lived on my own for almost a year. There were times when people's cupboards were the only source of food," he says, his voice strained as he finally leans back against the wall, his arm wrapped around his torso.

I raise an eyebrow, "You broke into people's houses."

"After a while they just started leaving their doors open for me. Especially in Kakariko," he explains nonchalantly.

I smile though the happiness soon drains from my system. "What about... Evangeline. He said-"

"I know what he said. But we're going to get back to her before he has a chance to do anything... alright? Besides, with us missing, I bet they have round the clock protection for her."

"I know... I'm just afraid..."

"I'm not going to let anything happen to her," he says resolutely.

I nod as he crawls over to the door of his cell, wrapping his arms around the bars and feeling for the lock before trying to pick the lock blindly.

"How long is this going to take? What if he comes back-"

I'm cut off as his door swings open. He looks at me with tired satisfaction like he would boast about this if he had the strength.

I watch in amazement as he stands on shaking legs and unlocks mine with the same ease. He walks towards me with his hands outstretched to help me to my feet. He pulls me up and then my arms are around his neck and his are around my waist.

"I missed you," he murmurs into my hair.

I laugh out a soft sob. It's silly because we've been together this entire time, but at the same time we've been completely separated. "Me too."

He pulls back slightly and says, "I'm going to kiss you gently."

"Gently?" I ask.

He leans in, our noses touching. "Yes... gently," he whispers, his breath warm on my lips. I part them slowly as he melds his to mine. My lips find his swollen one and I understand his desire to be gentle, I can still taste the salty blood in the wound. He lets out an almost silent groan of pain as my lips work on his split lip, his fingers tightening around my waist.

"I'm sorry," I say, pulling away and blowing softly on his lip.

"Come on," he says, taking my hand, "we'd better go."

He leads me up the stair case and all the while the heat is growing more and more intense, the heat of the basement an understatement to the heat that beats down on the desert. The sand is hot much like it was the day we'd arrived, but the sun is going down, which means it won't be like that for long. It also means that we could get lost very easily.

"This way," he says, tugging me along into a slow jog.

"How do you know which way to go?" I ask nervously.

"I kept track on the way here," he says almost like it's the obvious answer. He doesn't let go of my hand all the while as we jog.

With the heat and the exhaustion, it's not long before I have to ask him to slow down. He does so willingly though I know he just wants to get out of here as fast as physically possible.

"I'm so tired, Link," I say, feeling embarrassed and empty and weak. Tears start to fill my eyes as I glance around, finding nothing on the horizon.

"You're doing fine," he encourages, "just imagine our baby, imagine going home to her."

I do, and though it makes it harder to see with all the water making my eyes a blurry mess, it helps to push my legs faster despite the pain. I zone out for a long time, my head light though I try to concentrate on Evangeline's face just long enough to make it another step further. It's grown dark now, and the cold is settling in.

"Zelda?"

"Hmm?" I ask, my head heavy, unable to concentrate on anything.

"We're almost there, look," he says, pointing ahead.

I squint and in the fading light I see a massive structure protruding from the horizon. The Desert Colossus.

I try to take a step forward to run, but I stumble and fall, the lack of food and water over the past week almost crippling me. Link crouches beside me and puts my arms around his neck, lifting me much the same as he did on our way there.

"We're so close, sweetheart," he murmurs in my ear, "hold on a little longer."

I close my eyes, listening to the dry plashing that his feet make as he moves through the sand, and fall into a rhythm, trying to match my breathing with a similar pace. The only reason I'm made aware that we're there is that the sound stops, a quiet padding of feet on stone floor replacing it.

I look up and find the great statue looking over me as I put my feet on the ground, my arms remaining around Link's neck just in case. "Where do we go from here?" I ask.

"Well," he says softly, "maybe you should try to warp again... I know it's going to be hard, because you're so tired, but see if you're able to."

I nod to him and close my eyes, trying to gather the energy around me. It feels heavy, and I know this is just a result of my fatigue, but it's working, slowly but surely. I smile as I try to gather more towards myself.

And then I feel as though someone has placed their hand around my neck and is squeezing hard.

My eyes flash open as I gasp, and the only person there is Link, watching me with concern. The feeling is familiar though, it's the one I felt in the prison. The thing I felt suppressing the energy, it's back, and it's very close.

"Don't move," a very familiar voice chides in, one that sends chills up my spine.

Link and I freeze in place, my breathing growing quick as I realize what's just happened, what this means.

"Turn around," he demands, "slowly."

We both turn, being careful not to startle him. It's definitely the same man that took both of us out there, though there's no mask hiding his face now and there is something oddly familiar about him.

"Wait... I know you," Link says, shocked.

The man glances to Link and raises his hand, in it, a long silver dagger. "Don't move or I'll kill you," he says, his voice wavering.

"Whoa... it's alright, just put down the knife. I know you, I've talked with you. You wouldn't do this... who's making you do this?" Link asks, taking the smallest step towards him.

My mind still hasn't put together his face with where I have seen him before though Link seems to be very familiar with him.

"Don't move another step!" he shouts.

Link shakes his head once. "You're not going to kill us. You don't have to. Whoever's making you do this, they're not worth it. They're not worth something you're going to have on your conscious for the rest of your life."

"You don't get it," he says, gripping the blade now with both of his hands, "if he finds out that I let you go..."

"You don't have to worry about him... just put down the knife," he says, taking another step closer.

"If I don't kill you, then he's going to kill me," he says, his voice strained as tears fill his eyes and his forehead crumples with fear.

"Who? Who's going to kill you?" Link asks, his voice soothing as he moves closer.

He sucks in a ragged breath and swallows as his face suddenly makes sense to me. The tired expression, the dark hair that falls in front of his eyes in a messy heap. He's the boy that used to sit in the market, begging for food, and everyone would just walk by him as if he was a piece of dust on the sidewalk.

I understand the desperation now, why he was willing to do this. Because he has nothing to lose.

But nothing matters as much as the next word he says. Everything I'd hoped to never have to worry about again comes spinning back through my mind with one simple word.

"Ganondorf."

* * *

_**LINK**_

My heart stops as I hear Zelda suck in a sharp breath behind me. She moves forward and grasps my arm.

"Don't move!" he shouts at her, directing the knife towards her and letting out a pained cry.

"Hey, hey. Easy," I say, "listen to me. Ganondorf is gone... he's not going to be able to hurt you."

"You don't understand. He's still got the triforce of power, he can still come back," he says hopelessly.

"He won't be able to until the seal breaks, until Zelda and I lose our pieces," I say, holding up my hand to show him the three triangles on the back.

"That's why I need to kill you," he says, pointing the tip of the blade at my hand, "so that he can escape."

"Why do you want him to escape? What did he promise you?" I ask.

He shakes his head and his fear turns into a sadistic smile, "More power than you or your Princess will ever have. You should know about it's power, since it grew inside of you recently."

My eyes widen as my hand flies to my stomach, the place where the dark magic was implanted. "Where did you find that magic?" I ask, my voice low.

"Ganondorf did. Zelda should be familiar with it. Since her ancestors locked away it's power and sentenced the people that tried to wield it to a life in shadow. But Ganondorf found it, and he promised me the fused shadow as soon as I turn the both of you over to him. This way, I will have more power than either of you can dream of, and people will finally look up to me, and respect me," he rants angrily.

"Ganondorf will never give up his power for you," I say, trying to deny him though Zelda's grip on my arm tightens at the mention of the fused shadow.

"That's where you're wrong. And you're wrong if you think you can escape. Ganondorf will destroy both of you. He has come closer than you can possibly imagine through me, he _owes_ me."

"How, how did you nearly destroy us? Your little prison out there didn't hold up as well as you'd hoped," I say, my patience thinning.

He laughs though there's something in his eyes that scares me, something not natural. "Let me ask this of you Zelda, what was the reasoning behind the war? Why would a seemingly peaceful country wage war on one as powerful as Hyrule?"

Zelda doesn't respond, she seems in utter shock.

"Stupid girl, that war was started because of his plan, Ganondorf, he wanted that war to start."

My eyes widen, "To destroy me. That was the plan, wasn't it?"

He narrows his eyes and taps his chin, "Nope, you're coming next... He was under the impression that you and the King had an agreement that kept you from battle... you joining was a complete surprise. But no, the war was to destroy Zelda. Destroy her country, and then destroy her."

I push Zelda a little further back as the dagger raises to point at her face and then to me.

"And you. He made me put that piece of dark magic inside of you so that you would become like them, that sunlight would destroy you. The people here would pity you, send you to their world, the Twilight Realm. He wanted you to be in as much misery as he is, and then he would destroy you."

"And when that failed, what did he do?" I ask, intrigued as much as I am furious and absolutely terrified.

He looks down, some shame showing on his face. "He said he'd take matters into his own hands. He told me to take you here and keep you alive until he came."

"But how is he communicating with you? How did he get that piece of magic to you?" I ask.

He fidgets uncomfortably then finally says, "His phantom... that being you tried to destroy. He can travel to and from the void, to and from realms, including the Twilight Realm... being nothing here but a dream, a shadow."

I shake my head, "You don't have to listen to it. Contrary to what you believe, Ganondorf will not escape if you don't put us in his hands. Put down... the knife."

He looks down at his hand, at the blade glimmering in the moonlight. Him giving in is the only chance I have. I have no weapons, he would stab me if I attempted hand to hand combat. His grip on the knife tenses as he says, "He told me that I could have power, and you never offered me anything when I asked for help. And he told me to kill you if you tried to escape."

He winds up his arm and in that moment I understand his movement. He's only a few feet away from me, but he's going to throw it. I reach for his arm as it snaps forward, knocking his arm away from my line of direction though I still expect to feel the sharp pain as it slices through my skin.

But there's nothing. I glance back up at him with a triumphant smile when I see that he's also grinning, watching something behind me and my heart drops. I turn just as Zelda is drawing the knife from her stomach and it clatters to the floor, covered in her blood.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

I don't feel it at first. And then there's so much pain I don't know how to react. When I look down, my hands seem to be moving on their own, pulling the blade from my flesh as crimson liquid spills onto my fingers. I drop the knife and press my hands to the hole in my skin, looking up at Link with a look of sheer stupor on his face as my legs give out.

"No!" he yells as he lurches forward to catch me, lowering me onto the ground slowly and holding me in his arms, "What have you done?"

The man who's name I don't know laughs and pulls out another knife. "Goodbye, hero," he says, lifting the dagger above his head.

Link abruptly pulls me closer into his chest and shoves a fist into the ground, fire erupting around us though it doesn't touch Link nor I. The man is engulfed in orange tongues of flame and collapses to the ground, writhing as the hair from his head melts and his skin singes. He begins to cry out for it to stop but his voice seems distant, like there's cotton balls stuffed in my ears.

"...Zelda," I realize Link is saying and when I look up at him there are tears in his eyes.

I blink as a tear falls down my temple.

"Hold on, okay?" he asks, glancing frantically around for something he can do, some way to help me.

I swallow and take his hand in mine, tracing a heart on his palm, a heart that stays red from the blood on my fingers. His eyes flash down to see what I'm doing and all hope leaves his eyes when I pull my hand away, and his eyes fall upon what I've done.

"Go help h-him," I say as another tear falls from my eyes.

He shakes his head, "What about you?"

"I'll be fine," I say, touching my hand to his face and getting blood in his hair.

He swallows and says, "I'll be right back," before pressing a kiss to my forehead.

I nod and watch as he arms himself with the knife lying by my side and makes his way over to him.

"Please, please just kill me," the man weeps, his voice breaking as he sobs in pain.

"No, I'm going to help you," Link says, his voice equally weak, "I have to help you."

"Please," he pleads, "please kill me before he does."

"I'm going to get you out of here, I'm going to save you-"

"No, I can't, please don't make me do it myself," the man begs, gripping Link's wrist with the dagger in it and touches it to his chest.

"I can't do this," Link says, his voice so empty.

"I need you to do this. I don't want him to kill me," he says, sucking in short breaths.

Link takes the knife hesitantly in his hand. "I'm so sorry," he says as he lifts it up. I close my eyes as I hear the short gasp of the man laying on the ground, the sound of Link puncturing his body.

The knife clatters to the stone floor again and Link is back by my side. I know he's trying to hide the disgust at what he just did, the panic. But he was strong to do it, it's something I never would have been able to do.

"I'm going to save you," he says, pulling me up into his arms. I grimace in pain, looping my arms around his neck and nestling my head into his shoulder, the blood loss taking over and making it hard to stay awake.

He starts walking towards the sand and I'm confused at what he's trying to do. Surely he doesn't think he can make it back to the castle or even to the Thieves Hideout before I bleed out. There's no possible way that I can transport in this condition.

My thoughts rest on him and Evangeline, and never seeing them again. I don't want him to feel guilty, I know he'll take the blame for my death. But I don't want him to, I just want him to smile again like he would when he was young, when he was carefree. I wish we could go back to that place.

The black of the night is suddenly illuminated by a bright light and I think this must be it, and all I want to tell him is how much I love him but the words are stuck in my throat.

He lays me down and suddenly warmth is spreading through my body, all the pain melting away and everything becomes more vivid. The glittering pink orbs of light that are orbiting my body, the warm water absorbing the blood.

I'm not dead, I'm lying in a fairy's fountain.

"...Link?" I ask after a moment as he sits in front of me, his head bowed and it appears as though he's praying, something I've never seen him do.

His eyes open wide as he pulls me towards him, laughing in disbelief. "I thought I'd lost you," he mutters.

"I'm here," I say, stroking the back of his hair.

He lets out a ragged breath, like an exhausted cry and holds me close. "I love you."

I pull back so that I can look in his face and he pushes the hair away from my eyes. In his palm I catch the shape of a heart still painted in blood.

"I love you too."


	16. Chapter 16

**Look at me go. I'm getting these things out so quick. Man, you should be impressed. So, I'm not sure if I'll get another one out for about a week or so, going to Montana with the cous's... or cousins if you're not down with the kids. So here's a little section for you guys, hope you enjoy it. And oh yeah, I don't know why, but while I was writing this section, when I was writing the King's speech (haha I'm so clever) or dialogue, Donald Sutherlands voice totally came to me haha. And then I realized, he would make a great King Hyrule. Check out his imdb picture, it's meant to be.**

* * *

_**LINK**_

We decide to stay in the safety of the fountain until morning, and then make our way back to Hyrule. She lays in my arms, tracing patterns on my shoulder. Neither of us have talked since she came back, I guess we're both afraid to speak too soon.

It's completely black outside, the stars no match for the massive expanse of desert that seems to absorb all light. It's warm in here at least, warm enough to make my eyes slowly drift closed as Zelda lets out a soft fluttering breath against my skin. I wish we could stay in this moment and not have to face tomorrow, I wish I didn't have to wake up and face the reality of what I did tonight.

My eyes suddenly flash open then when I hear voices echoing down the mouth of the cave, the delicate glow of distant torches drawing nearer.

"Zelda," I say, nudging her gently.

"Hmm?" she murmurs, opening her eyes to me.

I point to the entrance of the cave as the torches make their way down the tunnel. She grasps my arms tight until three figures begin to appear from the darkness.

"Princess?" one of them asks.

"Yes?" Zelda asks quietly.

The one closest to us nods at the other two who stare at us with wide eyes in disbelief. "Tell the others," he says in a hushed voice

They both nod and head towards the entrance, excited muttering amongst them.

The man steps forward into the light, illuminating his face for us to see that it's a familiar one to the both of us. "We're here to take you home," he says.

Lawrence.

* * *

"Link, I'm going to be completely honest, I didn't expect to find you out here. I mean, nobody filed you as a missing person," Lawrence says as I sit next to him at the front of the carriage, Zelda sleeping in the back as we make our way through the desert.

I let out a humorless laugh, "No, I wouldn't be. The King thought I was at home, and the people at home thought I was at the castle. I wonder how long it would have taken them to realize..." I muse.

"Well, the whole situation has been kept relatively quiet. King Hyrule didn't want upset within the country," he explains.

"That makes sense," I say.

"And... I'm just going to ask now because I know that others will be asking... Did you have anything to do with her kidnapping?"

I shake my head. "No, I was taken the same night she was. The body of the man that kidnapped us was at the Desert Colossus," I explain.

"We recovered the body, though we weren't sure if it had any significance. Did you... were you the one that killed him?" he asks hesitantly.

"...Yes. But that was only after he tried to kill Zelda and myself," I say, trying to swallow back the terrible feeling crawling up my throat.

"I believe you... but I don't think that everyone will," he says.

"Zelda will have the same story to tell," I assure him, "then people will understand. Though, may I ask, what are _you_ doing here?"

"The King informed the Falvale Royal Guard to keep a watch for her, and of course I was notified. But I know the guards of Hyrule, they're pathetic creatures, and would have never found her. I began my own search in the hopes that she would take it as a token of apology," he explains solemnly.

"Thank you. I don't know how long it would have taken us to get back. We might have starved by then," I say.

"It was my pleasure, Link... how has she been?" he asks.

I glance back at her, "Well... she was just held captive for almost a week."

"No, I mean, with everything..." he trails off.

"Oh. Well, I guess considering the circumstances she's been relatively good," I say with a shrug.

"Are you going to... ask her?"

"Ask her what?" I ask obliviously.

He clears his throat and lowers his voice, "To... to marry you."

"Oh. Um... I don't know, it's complicated," I say.

"How so?" he asks.

I scratch the back of my head, "Well... I've kind of... already asked her... once. And her dad... well, he didn't really approve."

"Hmm," he murmurs, "I had known that you were practically engaged to her before the war, but I didn't know that it was her father that kept you apart."

"Yeah well, I'm not so sure he's ready to change his mind," I say, looking down at the arm rest I'm leaning on and picking at the paint.

"I think you should ask him regardless," Lawrence says, and the seriousness in his voice surprises me, "I mean, I don't want to have given her up for her to just be married off to another suitor... I don't want to see her that miserable again."

"You still care about her a lot," I state, with everything he's saying there's no question about it.

"Yes, which is why I know that you're the only one that'll... that'll make her happy. As much as it kills me to say it... and as much as I wish I was in your place."

I laugh, trying to ease the tension, "You wish you were in my place right now? After being starved and beaten?"

He laughs though only partially. "No... I suppose not now. Anyway, it has grown late... perhaps you should get some rest," he suggests.

I nod, crawling back into the wagon beside Zelda. I lay down and she slips her hand into mine, a small smile playing at her lips because she was awake the whole time.

I'm not the center of attention by any means when we finally make our way back to Hyrule Castle. As soon as we're spotted, we're swarmed by Hylian guards, some of them accusing me of being her captor though she and Lawrence are quick to chide them. They stick me into a room to stay in for the night since it's after midnight, while Zelda is questioned and inspected to make sure she's alright. They feed me, and clothe me, but I'm little more than a distraction.

I pull off my shirt and lay in bed just trying to fall asleep, hoping that tomorrow will bring better things than today. I find peace in the fact that Zelda is safe and my daughter, I can't wait to see her tomorrow.

I'm just drifting off when the doorknob to my bedroom clicks and her silhouette appears in the doorway. She floats over to me, her nightgown sweeping across the floor and the light from the hallway shimmering off her shoulders before the door closes and hides her in shadow once more.

"Hey," she whispers, sitting on my bed.

"Hey," I whisper back, sitting up a bit though my ribs are still sore.

She doesn't take a lot of time to get to the point, she sits on my lap, one leg on each side and presses her lips to mine. She puts her hands around my neck and tilts her head to the side, opening her mouth against mine and pushing herself closer to me. We move in a slow rhythm, until she puts her hand on my chest and trails it down my body, pushing hard against my ribs.

I gasp and push her back harder than I'd intended to.

She puts her hand over her swollen lips, "I'm so sorry. I forgot-"

I wave her off, "It's fine... it's just a little... sore."

She rolls off to my side and wraps his arm loosely around my waist, snuggling her face into my shoulder as she rests her head on my bicep. "It doesn't seem just a little sore," she says.

"It's alright, don't worry about it," I say as her fingers start to trail lightly over my stomach.

"I won't worry about it if you hold me and tell me you're alright," she murmurs, her lips against my collar bone.

"I told you it's fine-"

"No... not about that. About what you had to do tonight... to that man," she says, wrapping a leg around me.

I run a hand through my hair and stare at the ceiling. "I don't know," I whisper, "I just can't figure out why Ganondorf would pull him into that."

"He preys on the weak minded, people he can easily manipulate. You know that," she murmurs against my skin.

I swallow, "I didn't want to have to kill him. Killing humans is different than killing monsters."

"Link... it's what he wanted," she breathes.

"I shouldn't have done that."

"Link," she says again, "hold me."

I look down towards her and her eyes are so desperate. I curl my arm she's laying on so that she rolls onto my chest and hold her around her shoulders, placing my mouth on hers, the raw skin on my lip feeling oddly numb as she kneads my lips with hers. She puts her fingers on my jaw as she strokes my face gently. I pull back and kiss her nose, then her forehead as she rests her face back against my chest, her soft skin like silk.

"Don't let me go," she murmurs.

"I won't," I reply quietly to the dark bedroom.

* * *

"He wants to speak with you."

"What?"

"My father, he wants to speak with you about what happened," she says, her voice low like she's afraid for me.

I nod, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling on my boots, "Okay."

She shakes her head, leaning against the wall watching me with her arms crossed. "I told him you had nothing to do with it," she says, frustration clouding her eyes.

I stand up and walk over to her. "Zelda, it's fine," I say, kissing her forehead.

"If he... accuses you of anything-" she begins.

"It'll be alright. Just, trust me," I say, heading towards the door but stopping to glance back at her.

She nods. "Good luck."

I can't deny the fact that my palms start to sweat slightly as I wait in front of his door, raising my hand to knock twice. I know that I'll just stick to my story if he asks, that there will be no differences between mine and the one he heard from Zelda, but his presence is intimidating, and explaining myself isn't what worries me.

"Come in," he orders, his voice muffled on the other side of the door.

I wipe my hands on my tunic one last time before turning the handle on the door and entering his office.

"Link," he says to me curtly.

I close the door and bow, "Your Highness."

"Take a seat," he says, nodding towards the chair across from his desk.

I nod and sit down, folding my hands in my lap.

"I'm just going to cut to the chase, Link. I don't want to hear about what happened to you and Zelda, I'm not going to ask for your side of the story, I'm not going to badger you about where you were at what time and so on and so forth," he says, waving his hands in a dramatic fashion.

I blink a few times, "Yes, Sir. That wasn't the reason I asked to speak with you."

He sighs and studies me for a brief moment, folding his hands on top of his desk. "My daughter is in love with you," he states.

I swallow, trying to find a way in which to reply to what he's said.

"And you love her," he says.

I nod. "That's right, Sir," I say quietly.

"She tells me that you were the reason that the two of you were able to escape," he says.

I nod again. "Yes, Sir. I... I picked the locks on our cells with a nail."

"So she tells me," he says.

I hesitate before saying, "My Lord... I love your daughter more than I've loved anyone throughout my life. She's a brilliant and gorgeous and caring woman. I... I don't think a simple man like myself could find the words in which to describe her... And, and I know that she deserves someone that will be able to assist her in ruling this country. I will be the first to admit that I would be terrified to take this task on, but that I am willing to learn.

"I feel like I owe her something... because when I thought I had no family, she gave me one, she gave me a comfort in the midst of all the strife. She was blessed by the Goddess of Love, and I wholly believe that she shows that to everyone she comes into contact with everyday, and I've been lucky to feel... I don't know... whole because of that. I've lost almost everything and losing her would be like losing my ability to think, or sleep. I know that I'd still be able to move on, but my life would be cold and empty without her," I finally conclude, cursing myself immediately for the gushy bits.

"I think you've already paid your debts Link, a thousand times over. So why keep pursuing her? You admit that you could move on, find another," he says.

"I keep pursuing her because I can't imagine another moment thinking that her heart is in jeopardy. And I keep pursuing her because I am connected in a way to her that no one else can be, at least for the time being," I say with conviction.

"Meaning the triforce," he assumes.

"Meaning our daughter... how am I supposed to walk away from her?"

He cocks his head to the side. "I supposed you would die in the war. I didn't want my daughter to have a child without the aid of her husband. You can probably understand my anger when I found the two of you on the eve of your departure."

"It was a reckless decision," I admit.

"Then why? What was your reasoning?"

I think back to that night, climbing in through the window just to say goodbye to her one last time in private, so I could tell her how much I loved her before I left. She had run into my arms, kissing me all over my face until we were laying on her bed and she was gazing up at me, asking me a question that I didn't want to answer.

_ "Zelda, if I die-" I had said._

_ She placed a finger over my lips and said. "Then I want something to remind myself that you and me were real, that this actually happened," she had whispered, her eyes clouded with tears._

_ "We don't need to do this to reassure you that I loved you once," I say quietly._

_ "I want it to reassure me that you loved me until the end. What do you want?" she asks, one of the tears slipping down her face._

_ My heart started to beat hard as she reached up and loosened the ties at the neck of my tunic. "I want you."_

"Link?" The King asks, bringing me back to reality.

I blink and look back up at him. "She... she had said that she wanted something to remind her that we were real... her and I. I wanted that too," I say, my cheeks burning.

"Then she got what she wanted, didn't she? With Evangeline," she concludes.

"So it would seem," I say, bowing my head.

"So what now?" The King asks.

"Now I plead for her but I get turned down. As is tradition," I say with slight sarcasm, "I know I can't be a Prince and offer her his kingdom, I know I can't... I can't be the kind of King that you want me to be.

"But I can be a father to Evangeline, I can provide her with the love and attention that will make her the same loving person your daughter is. And I can be there for Zelda and hold her when she's sad and understand when she wakes up in the night screaming about dreams from the war and about Ganondorf. I can reassure her that it's over and I can _always_ protect her. I will never stop watching out for her and trying to keep her safe because I love her. So I want you to consider me, Sir, because I love your daughter and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want her to be my wife so we can be a real family now."

He studies my face for a long while as I bow my head, waiting for his response. He pulls in a breath before giving his answer.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

I'm waiting for him to come out. So far there have been no outbursts from either party, no suspicious crashing noises that would indicate my father pounding him into the floor again.

And then after a few minutes he emerges, seemingly uninjured.

"Link!" I call after him as he starts to head down the hallway, not noticing my presence off to the side.

He glances over at me, "Oh, hi."

"How did it go?" I ask, drawing closer to him.

He nods, "It was alright."

"Alright? Do you want to talk about it?"

He turns from me, looking down at the ground and says, "Okay, lets take a walk."

I narrow my eyes and follow him, out to the courtyards. "Well... what happened?"

He shrugs. "He didn't ask me about getting kidnapped really."

"Really?" I ask surprised, "What did you talk about then?"

"Um... you I guess. And Evangeline, and how I fit into this," he mumbles off.

"About us?" I question, "Why?"

He shrugs again. "I don't know, he just wanted to know that I loved you."

I stop him, causing him to meet my eyes. "Wait... I'm confused. What?"

He takes my hand. "Come here," he says gently, "I'll explain."

He takes me up the hill overlooking the road that leads to the castle. This is where Link said that he got past all of the guards, climbing up here. We used to hide out here for hours at a time, just talking and laughing because the guards couldn't see us. We used to think we could avoid Impa by escaping up here, though I know now she knew all along, but she let us have our fun. She cared about the both of us much more than I can understand.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Just up the hill," he explains vaguely. "See, from here you can see the mountains... do you ever wonder about seeing what's on the other side of them?"

I shrug. "Sometimes... Link, is there something you're keeping from me?"

"Hmm?"

"What did you and my father talk about?"

He turns back to me and touches my face. "Do you remember when you first kissed me?"

I shake my head at his refusal to answer my question but say, "Yes."

"It was here," he says, "and I was so nervous."

I can't help but let out a sympathetic laugh. "It was adorable. When I pulled back, your face was so red."

"Zelda..." he says, looking down at his feet, "_I_ asked to speak with your father."

I put my hands on his face and draw his eyes back to mine. "What?"

"I wanted to talk to him, because I wanted to ask him if I could marry you," he finally says.

My eyes fly wide open. I put my hand over my mouth as I search his eyes, "What did he say?"

He bites his lip and touches my mouth with his thumb. "He said no."

I shake my head as tears start to fill my eyes. For a brief moment I thought that maybe I could wake up with my head on Link's chest every morning, that everything would be made right.

"Zelda," he says softly, taking my hand in his and wrapping my arm around his waist. He puts his hand on the side of my face and kisses my forehead, "he said no... unless I propose to you with your mother's engagement ring."

My breath catches in my throat as I back up from him and he unfolds his other hand that had been clenched in a fist by his side. In his palm rests a gold ring with diamonds embedded in the band, a circular sapphire on the face.

He looks up at me and his eyes are glistening. I smile though my chin starts trembling and the image of the ring in his hand becomes skewed through my tears.

"Here," he says, his voice soft and rich with emotion, taking my hand in his and putting the ring on my finger with trembling hands. It fits perfectly.

I start to laugh and throw my arms around his neck as he begins to laugh too. He wraps his arms around my waist and nestles his face into my neck and I can feel by the stuttering movement of his chest against mine that he's crying softly, sucking in quick breaths. Beads of moisture move down my cheeks and soak into his shirt as he carefully pushes me back to look into my eyes.

"So, will you marry me?" he asks.

I lean in and push my lips to his. "I knew it, I knew he would understand. I told you three years ago that after all of this he would understand," I murmur past my soft cries.

"Is that a yes?" he asks with a smile, his forehead crumpled as a tear falls past his lips.

"Of course it's a yes, stupid," I say, grinning from ear to ear as I grab his collar in my hands and pull his mouth towards me again, tasting the salty tear on his lip.

He chuckles against my mouth and says, "You're the one with wisdom," in between kisses.

I smile against his mouth, letting him wrap his arms around me and hold me close to him, protecting me from the cool morning air breeze.

"I only have one question," he says, slipping his fingers into my hair, and looking down at me with eyes that burn my heart whenever he looks into mine.

"What's that?" I ask, winding my arms around his back and to his shoulders.

"Will this be another three year engagement?" he asks with an arched eyebrow.

I snicker and brush my lips to his chin. "Two years, and no. Link, I have loved you since I was a little girl, and I waited for seven years to call you mine, and lost you for three more. I'm ready to be with you now. I won't watch another year go by without you."

"Good," he says, "because I won't watch another minute."


	17. Chapter 17

**So I feel like this could be the last chapter but I wouldn't feel very resolved with it. So I think I'll keep going... But let me know your opinions. The last scene was inspired by a couple of things. Firstly, this guy came to speak at this church thing once and he told us about this experience he had where he told his wife the worst things about him. And so how that scene resolves is how his story ended and it was just the most tender story ever. And also Link's little monologue at the end was inspired by the Friday Night Lights episode "The Son" and Matt Saracen's monologue. Which was like the saddest moment in that show's history. Oh yeah, and there's some Final Fantasy: Advent Children inspiration as well... I'll just let you guys see if you know what I'm talking about. But overall I'm happy with how this part came out, hope you are as well!**

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

I knock gently on the door, catching the glimmer of the sapphire on my finger that evokes a smile from my lips. Link is with Evangeline, playing with her in her nursery. But I had to speak with him sooner or later.

"Come in," he says.

I open the door with my right hand, letting my left hand fall casually by my side. He obviously knows that Link had planned on proposing to me, he'd given Link the ring, though perhaps I can still surprise him slightly. And... well, surprising him isn't exactly my only purpose for coming here. I've come to thank him.

"Hi, Daddy," I say gently.

"Zelda, is something wrong?" he asks, taking his glasses off his nose.

I shake my head, "No... for once everything is completely right."

He smiles though some brief sorrow touches his eyes. "Let's see it then."

I hold up my hand, presenting the gem that he'd adorned my mother's hand with many years ago. The thought of her shoves at my heart, provoking tears from their place within my eyes to blur them.

"It looks perfect on you, sweetheart," he says softly, "you have your mother's perfect dainty fingers."

I let my hand drift back to my side and make my way over to him, sitting in his chair, before wrapping my arms around his neck in a tight embrace. "Thank you so much," I barely manage to say.

"Are you happy now?" he asks, not mocking me in any way, but truly questioning me with pure intent.

I pull back and look at him, wiping my eyes on the back of my hand, "Yes. I'm so happy."

"I'm glad," he says, folding my hand in his large rough one.

"What changed your mind?" I ask.

"He did," he says, "Link... When I spoke with him, it changed how I saw your relationship."

"How so?" I ask.

"He said that he could comfort you when your past creeps up on you, Ganondorf, the war. And I realized that he's the only one that would be able to understand what happened to you both and be able to protect you. I realized that he is the only one you could ever trust to take care of you because he's the only one that ever has," he says, choking on his last words because he obviously doesn't count himself as someone who's been there for me.

I nod, "He'll always watch out for me."

"And keep you safe," he adds, "he won't back away from this... this duty and kingdom. He won't because he wants to see you be safe and happy."

I nod, tears in my eyes though these ones feel different than the ones I've spilled over the past few years. They don't feel heavy, bringing along with them the sick feeling in my stomach. These won't leave a headache behind that is a constant pounding reminder of why I'd been crying in the first place. These tears are those of relief, after so long of waiting and disappointment. "I love him," I say.

"Zelda... I want to apologize," he says and his voice is suddenly gruff with reserved embarrassment and emotion he hardly ever shows.

I wish I could tell him that he needn't apologize, but I want to hear the words from his mouth. I want him to recognize everything that happened because of his neglectfulness. His inability to see what was right in front of him. I love him, he's my father, but I want him to make it up to me, because I want to be able to say I can forgive him. I want to move on and see him as my dad that I look up to again.

"I'm sorry for what I did to him... to you," he says, his voice weak as he tries to hold back a guilty sob.

"You were trying to protect me... from what happened to you," I state, trying to decipher his intent.

He looks up at me, his blue eyes falling deeper into the water he's trying to suppress. "That's what I told myself... but... But deep down I think I knew that he would never do that to you. And then... when we were talking before you were taken, and you asked if I did all of this because I was jealous. I realized... maybe that_ is_ why I was trying to keep you from him."

I shake my head, "Why? Why would you feel jealous?"

He shrugs, a baffled look on his face like it should be obvious to me. "You trusted him. Everyone... trusted him. He saved Hyrule while I just allowed Ganondorf to move in a take over. I was the fool. Link listened to your warnings and I didn't. And if he was to follow me, being the King over this land... well... people would see how I failed them. They would compare me to him... Don't get me wrong, Zelda, there was always a part of me that was wary of you wedding someone that wasn't of royal birth... but I think the jealousy threw me over the edge."

I bow my head and eye the gem on my finger before looking back up at him, a smiling teasing my lips. "I forgive you, Dad."

"You've always been far more forgiving than you should be," he says.

"I'd rather let things go than hold onto them with anger in my heart," I explain, "though... I do have one question."

"What is that?" he asks.

"What are we going to tell everyone? I mean, Lawrence left, suddenly Link is in the picture... how are we going to explain this?" I ask with an exasperated laugh.

He chuckles. "We'll do it how we always do."

"And how's that?"

"We'll tell the truth, just my spin on the truth," he says with a wide smile.

"Alright, Dad," I say rolling my eyes and heading for the door, "I trust you."

I hear him breathe out a silent laugh and put his glasses back on. I'm sure as I close the door behind me that he's still smiling.

* * *

_**LINK**_

"She's just like you, Zel," I whisper, my eyes closed as we lay in my bed, her head resting on my arm.

She stirs slightly and opens her eyes after I do the same. "Who?" she asks sleepily.

"Evangeline," I say, "she reminds me of you so much."

She lays her arm across my stomach and inches closer to me, "Mm. She reminds _me_ of _you_... Thank you for taking care of her today... I had a lot of business to attend to."

"I know you did," I say, pressing my lips to her forehead, "I mean, you had a wedding canceled and were kidnapped in the same week. It happens."

She laughs and her breath drifts across my skin, "Sometime soon we'll do something, all of us."

"I'm looking forward to it," I say softly, letting my hand drift to her shoulder, my fingers lightly caressing her skin underneath the strap of her dress.

"Hmm," she murmurs against my chest, "that tickles."

I chuckle and gently squeeze her sides so that she squirms in discomfort, though a smile inevitably appears on her face.

"Link! Stop that!" she whispers desperately though her smile grows wider. She rolls on top of me and grabs at my wrists to try and stop me from tickling her. I let her win eventually, pinning my arms at my sides as she kneels over my waist, a leg on each side. "There," she says, leaning down to pull on my bottom lip with hers, "now I've got you where I want you."

Her face descends against mine again and I'm happy to oblige her. It's been too long since we've just had each other and not a care in the world. In fact, I don't think we've ever been carefree. The last time I remember being carefree was the day before Navi came to me, and doing silly things with Saria. That was nearly eleven years ago.

Zelda pulls back and lays her head back on my chest, sighing with contentment. "I can't wait until the day we're married," she murmurs.

"Me neither," I say.

She stops talking, and after a few minutes I can hear her breathing slow down into unconsciousness. She is caught in a peaceful sleep, much unlike the sleep we used to have, tormented by memories. My memories... are still stirring in the back of my mind, though they've been subdued as of late.

I don't realize it when I fall asleep, and maybe it's because I'm dreaming so vividly that it all appears to be real. Though, if this was happening, when I was in my right frame of mind, it would seem eerie, bizarre. I sit in a green field, and as far as I can see the sky is white, nothing on the horizon. It's extremely bright, so bright I have to shade my eyes.

"Link," a voice behind me says, echoing like it is far away.

I turn to find a blur of green standing across from me. I blink a few times as the colors find their boundaries and create a person. A girl.

Saria.

I let out a breath as something uncomfortable squeezes at my chest; longing, desperation maybe. "Saria?"

"Hi," she says, lifting her hand to give me a gently wave.

I shake my head, "What are you doing here?"

She shrugs her shoulder. "I don't know, what are you doing here?" she asks.

I glance around, not finding any part of this place familiar. "I... I don't know."

She walks closer to me and looks up, her blue eyes shining in the white light. "He's all right," she says.

I narrow my eyes, a knot in my stomach. "...Who?"

"His name was Ethan, the man that was working for Ganondorf. And he's alright. He wanted me to tell you that he's thankful for you. And for what you did," she says.

I shake my head, "How do you – how did you-"

"I spoke to him, after he died. The sages needed information on how Ganondorf was communicating with him so that we can stop him... so I spoke to him. He seemed to trust me, I suppose I was less of a threat to him," she says quietly.

I shake my head, my eyes becoming blurry. "This is a dream," I say, falling to my knees, "this is just a dream."

She closes the space between us and cups my face in her hands. "Yes, this is a dream. But I am here, and so are you."

"But you're not real," I say, my throat constricting my words.

"Just because this is a dream does not mean it's not real," she says, grinning at me.

"But I – I'm sleeping. How can you be here?" I ask, not wanting her to leave when I wake up.

"I've always been here," she says, wiping away a tear with her thumb when it spills over, "I was here when you were fighting in that war, I was here when you were locked away in the desert. Just to make sure you were okay."

I shake my head as she tries to comfort me, her soft small hand patting my cheek. "Saria," I begin as she tries to hush me though I persist, "Saria, I killed him."

She gives me a sympathetic smile and smooths my hair off my forehead. "You did what you had to do. He doesn't want you to let it haunt you... and neither do I."

I suck in a staggered breath, swallowing back a sob. "Saria, I miss you so much," I mutter, wrapping my arms around her small waist and holding her against me.

She holds me tight, combing her fingers through my hair. "You're going to be alright," she whispers.

I open my eyes to a dark room. Zelda asleep beside me on her pillow, the night nearly silent. Saria's voice is still fresh in my ears, though it doesn't calm the erratic pounding of my heart as his face blots out the peace, his face as I watched him die. I bolt up, the oxygen flushing through my lungs seems to be escaping and as I sit it's like I'm breaking the surface of water. I gasp and try to pull in as much air as possible, the pain and disorientation from waking are tearing apart my mind, the tears from my dream reappearing in reality.

"Link?" Zelda's tired voice asks.

I bend my knees and rest my elbows on them, holding my head in my hands as I rock slowly back and forth, coughing out sobs that I can't resist any longer.

Her hand is on my bare back, the bed shifting slightly as she sits up beside me. She rests her face against my arm and starts to move her hand in a soothing pattern. "Link... what's wrong? You're sweating," she says, concern flooding her tone.

I heave in a breath, feeling as though I'm drowning, cold chills rocking through my body. "I can't breath," I say, my breath increasing in pace rapidly.

"Shh, shh. It's going to be alright. Take a deep breath," she murmurs.

I choke out a cough and shake my head, "I can't."

"Yes you can," she says, readjusting herself behind me so that I sit with my back pressed against her chest. She wraps an arm around my ribs and rests her other hand on the back of my shoulder. "Feel me breathe. Feel me breathe against you. Do what I'm doing, Link. Try and move with me."

I start to panic, the air coming in and out too fast to be able to slow down.

"You're hyperventilating, babe, please try to calm down," she says, some hysteria in her voice, "breathe with me."

I really try to concentrate on the gentle and controlled swell of her chest against my back. I try to drag in a deep breath, hiccuping a few times though I manage to keep the pace with hers after a while. The breath out is much easier, easier to keep steady.

"There you go," she whispers, her lips in the curve between my neck and shoulder, "it's going to be alright."

She moves her arms to loop them around my neck, moving with me as I rock gently, cries of defeat clawing their way from my lungs.

"Shh," she murmurs, her warm breath against my ear, her fingers lacing into my damp hair.

"I feel sick," I mumble, a disgusted wave rushing over me.

"Let me get you a glass of water," she says in a hushed voice, reluctantly letting go of me and climbing off the bed to the bathroom.

She fills up a glass by the wash basin and brings it back to me along with a cold cloth which she lays on the back of my neck. She hands me the glass of water and sits back next to me, trailing her fingernails delicately across my back.

"What happened?" she asks hesitantly.

I shake my head, taking the water in trembling hands. "I... I just can't stop thinking about what... what would have happened if I hadn't... killed him."

She kisses my shoulder gently then lays her cheek on it. "Link... you've been through more than I can begin to possibly imagine over the past few years. Do you think that... well... that you might have post traumatic stress?"

I furrow my brow, "What do you mean?"

She sits up, watching me though I refuse to meet her gaze. "Well... you were ten when this all started. You never had the chance to really be a boy, a teenager. You almost died killing Ganondorf. Then you fought in that war, and saw a lot of your friends, a lot of good people die. And then you were forced to kill someone you wanted to save. These things are hard to keep cooped up inside of you... these are things that people don't usually have to cope with."

I take a drink of water and stare at my feet. "I'm... I'm not sure. You think I'm, you know, messed up? ...Like, my head isn't right?"

She shakes her head, "No, no. Link, I just think that you need something to help you cope with everything you've seen. Just like I need you to help me when I can't sleep, or when I dream that you're gone. Everyone needs someone."

But everyone but her is gone. I love her, she's able to understand what I've been through. But... I've also lost so many. The Great Deku Tree died, Navi left, Saria is a sage, Malon... well, I left her. It's a lot to put on a single person. And she doesn't know... she doesn't know everything I've done, and I don't want to tell her. I don't want her to treat me differently.

I swallow and put the glass on the bedside table. "I'm tired... I'm going to go back to sleep," I say.

She stays sitting for a few moments when I roll over onto my side so that I'm facing away from her, clenching my jaw down to keep quiet. She lays down beside me in silence, keeping to her side of the bed. I know that neither of us fall asleep for a long time.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

I'm already awake when he wakes up, and I've been staring at the ceiling for the past hour thinking about last night. There are still damp streaks down my temples from the few tears that crept from my eyes. He rolls over on his side and from my peripheral vision I can see him watching me. "Zelda?" he asks quietly.

I turn my face to look at him, his clear blue eyes, tired. I clear my throat, "Mhmm?"

"I'm so sorry," he says, his voice full of morose.

I shake my head, "You don't need to be sorry."

"Yes I do," he argues humbly, "I want to tell you some things."

My heart tightens as I look at him, some barricade I've built up in my mind restraining me from rolling close to him and holding him in my arms. "What is it?"

He hesitates and keeps his distance as well. "I want you to know every bad thing about myself."

A nervous feeling starts stirring in my stomach, my hands growing clammy. But all I can say is, "Okay."

He swallows and looks directly into my eyes as he's speaking, the truth emitting through them so that I know he's being serious. With a calm but somehow broken voice he begins. "I'm a selfish person. I know I have you, but I miss all the people I don't have anymore. All of those people come and haunt me, and I don't know how to be rid of them... I feel alone, even when I'm holding you. And yet I'm selfish for not letting you go.

"I've killed a lot of monsters, but I've also killed a lot of good people because of war and circumstance, but I didn't once look back until now... and now I see their faces and it hurts. And I wish it had been someone else in my place, I wish I hadn't been the one chosen to do these things, and I hate the Goddesses for that. I hate them more than I hate Ganondorf," he continues, his eyes darkening. "I wish I didn't have all of this hate inside of me... but I hate them for choosing my friends to be part of this, and I hate them for allowing him to have a piece of their power."

I remain in silence, my heart pounding as he speaks, every revelation adding a stone in the pit of my stomach.

He stays quiet for a while, though I know he's not finished, his eyes have just cast downwards like he's trying to figure out how to put this, or like he's ashamed of it the most. "On the night... after your father told us we couldn't be together... I went back to the ranch, and I kissed Malon," he begins, covering his mouth with his hand, "and she kissed me back... and I was so close to letting things go too far but she stopped me, because she knew something was wrong... and I have never felt so guilty in my life."

I swallow, the noise seeming unbearably loud as a tear slips over the bridge of my nose and trickles onto the pillow.

"I used her, and she knows it... and she forgave me because she's a better person than I can ever hope to be... but I can never forgive myself for that. And then I went right back to you, and didn't tell you, and I got you pregnant and changed your life and made it so hard, and I wasn't even there to hold our baby in the night when she was crying.

"And for that I hate your father... I hate what he did to us. But I don't like hating people... I don't. So I just put all of my hate on Ganon... so I don't have to hate anyone else, and I can try to be a better person... to you, and to our daughter. And I just want to tell him that I hate him, but he's gone, and now I've got no one left to hate, and it's killing me," he says, choking on his last words as they come out in a desperate rush.

I sniffle as tears fall from both of my eyes, my heart hurting for him.

"And I understand," he continues, his voice barely audible, "I understand if you don't want to marry me now. And I don't expect you to forgive me, or to understand. I just want you to know."

I don't respond for a few long moments. My mind is still trying to digest everything, to comprehend it. I try to think hard about what I feel, to see if anything has changed within me about him, because of what he's said. I try to think about how I felt previous to this.

I lift my head and lay it on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and a feeling of immense calm and peace floods me. My heart, slowing down to meet the pace of his. "I love you, sweetheart," I say softly.

His hand finds my hair, his breathing hitched as he tries to calm his breathing. "I love you," he whispers.

Nothing has changed within me, I don't feel anger or resentment at the things he's done. I feel at peace with it, I feel humbled that he's told me. And I feel that I love him just as much or more as I did last night. Because the worst things about him don't need to be dwelt upon. They help me to understand him. And he's not a worse person because he has weaknesses.

We all have weaknesses.


	18. Chapter 18

**... Yes. I know it's been like... a looooong time. And I know that this isn't like, very long. I really don't have any excuses, except I'd kind of like to finish my novel. It's really close. Yeah, I have difficulties ending stories. So with this drawing to a close it's really hard for me to tie up loose ends and all that stuff. Um, I don't really have anything else to say. Just kidding, one more thing. This story is probably done with all the super duper exciting cliff hanger bits, that being said, I'm sorry if the rest of this story bores you. Endings kind of suck.**

* * *

_**LINK**_

"Come and eat your food, Ev," Zelda calls out to our daughter, playing with the bugs in the grass.

She turns her round face towards us and toddles over to the blanket we've set out amongst the hills above the castle. A dozen guards had initially started to follow us, though Zelda's father was quick to pull them back and let us go. I suppose he trusts me more than his own soldiers. It's been almost a week since we returned, this being the first day when Zelda doesn't need to be at countless meetings and councils throughout the day.

I open the basket of food that the cooks had prepared for us and pull out a variety of different cheese, fruit, bread and pastries. Evangeline plops down beside me and waits expectantly for her food. I dish up a small assortment and set it in front of her, offering her a grape from my fingers. I put it close to her mouth and she wraps her tiny lips around it. I pull back quickly and put on a look of false pain. "Ouch, you bit my finger!" I exclaim in a way that lets her know I'm playing with her.

She giggles and takes another grape from her plate and sets it in my hand. I put it into her mouth and pull back in mock pain again, grasping my hand in my other.

"Hey, stop biting me!" I say.

She just starts laughing harder, something about inflicting pain on adults enthuses young children, though I'm not sure why.

"Eat your food, Ev," Zelda chides though there's a slight smile on her face.

I wave her off, "She's eating, she's just biting my fingers in the process."

"She likes to play with her food, it ends up inside her dress sometimes," Zelda informs me with raised eyebrows.

"Huh..." I mutter, turning back to find a very innocent smile from Evangeline, trying to stow a piece of cheese in the pocket of her yellow cotton dress.

"I told you," Zelda says, crawling over to her and seizing her wrist, "Evangeline, you can't put food in your pocket."

"Momma," Evangline whines.

She lets go of her hand and holds out a flat palm, "Ev, give me the cheese."

She gives her mom a grumpy face and looks to me for support. I look at Zelda and then back to Evangeline before saying, "Give mommy the cheese or I'm going to... tickle you!"

The blue in her eyes inflates as shock crosses her face when I dart my hand towards her and poke her tiny belly, making her cringe and burst into fits of laughter at the same time. "Stop! Stop!" she yells.

She lays back onto the grass, her mouth wide as she laughs and kicks and tries to retrieve the piece of cheese in her pocket simultaneously.

"Stop it, Daddy!" she squeals, handing the cheese to me.

My hands immediately stop tickling her, as my heart stops beating momentarily. She sits up and places the cheese in my hand and goes back to eating her food as if nothing has happened. I glance up at Zelda and she's smiling at me, her eyes shining.

Zelda blinks a few times, breaking me from my gaze and looks at Evangeline. "You can play once your plate is clear," she says, a strict command being softened by the love in her voice.

She returns her eyes to mine and slips her hand into mine. A single laugh comes through my nose as I watch her, and reality finally hits that the woman I'm looking at, and the child behind me, are both mine.

* * *

She's standing out on the balcony, looking unreal as the moon silhouettes her, her light, airy dress flows around her body like waves as the wind caresses past her. Her hair falls down her back, the silver blonde shining in the faint light. I walk over to her, wrapping my arms carefully around her waist and nestling my face in her neck. She places her hands over mine and turns her face towards me, coaxing my lips to hers. She then lets go of my hands, spinning her entire body into my and lacing her fingers together around the back of my neck.

I scoop her up into my arms and carry her back into the room, not breaking the contact between our lips as I move until I set her onto the bed. She climbs under the covers, a kiss of pink in her cheeks and a warm smile on her face as she closes her eyes and lays down her head. I settle in beside her, sitting with my back against the head board and gently stroking her forehead with my thumb. Her eyelashes flutter and open, revealing her eyes that capture the stardust outside and turn it into fireworks.

She pulls herself up briefly, just to drape her legs over my lap and snuggle her face into my shoulder. I wrap one arm around her back, the other around her knees as I hold her close to me. "You know," she whispers, her hand on my neck, her other arm curled around my shoulder, "I always wished I had brothers and sisters."

I breathe out a silent laugh, kissing her forehead. "Living in Kokiri was like having a dozen brothers and sisters."

"And did you like that?" she asks, "I mean, the deep bond of it?"

I ponder for a moment, thinking of the 'siblings' I got along better with, like Saria, and then the ones I didn't get along with so well, like Mido. Though I still cared for Mido, and he did for me, I found out later in my life. I think we had different ways of showing it, and we were both too stubborn to ever express it face to face.

"Yes," I finally respond, "it was nice having them."

"Well," she says softly, her warm breath against my neck, "I was thinking... that Evangeline should have a brother or sister. What do you think?"

I smirk up at her, "Well... if I recall correctly, you wanted her to have six brothers or sisters, so I think-"

But I'm interrupted by the tired cry of a baby.

Zelda turns her face, as if craning her neck closer to the sound to listen. "Evangeline," she whispers.

I wait in silence as the screaming escalates, become more and more distressed. "We should go get her," I say.

Zelda climbs off of me and off the bed, waiting for me to follow her out the door and across the hall to Evangline's room. Sure enough when we enter her room, illuminating a candle to help us see, we find her, still laying in her bed, clutching her blankets close to her in terror.

"Hey, Ev it's alright... calm down sweetheart," Zelda coos as she nears her whimpering child.

Evangeline, finally deciding it safe to leave the confines of her blankets, reaches up her arms towards her mother, sobbing into her shoulder as Zelda strokes her hair.

"Did you have a nightmare? Hmm?" Zelda asks quietly, pressing her lips to Evangeline's forehead.

She hiccups against her mother's skin, nestling her head into a comfortable spot. "Is she alright?" I ask gently.

She nods, "She'll be okay... Evangeline... here, go see Daddy, I'm going to get you some warm milk, alright?" she says to Evangeline, passing her to me.

"Hey sweetheart," I murmur into her ear, gently patting her back, bouncing her up and down while I try to calm her. Though, I've never done this, I'm afraid I'm going to do something wrong.

And then I have an idea I think might just work.

I leave her room, cradling her against my shoulder and back into Zelda's room where my possessions were discarded. I fish through a bag of various items until I come across the smooth serface of the one I was looking for.

With it in hand I take her back into her room and settle her down into her bed, tucking her blankets around her. She starts fussing quickly, and I have to whisper in her ear that I'm not going to leave.

Then I put the ocarina to my mouth and play Zelda's lullaby, the soft soothing melody filling the silence. Evangeline blinks a few times, her cries silenced momentarily as she listens to the song. And then, with growing confidence that I won't leave, she closes her eyes. By the time Zelda comes back in, Evangeline's breath is even and slow, sleep claiming her once again. She wraps an arm loosely around my shoulder and presses a kiss to my temple, "I've never sung that song to her before... I guess it just felt strange."

"How so?" I ask in a whisper.

"Impa was the one who would sing it for me... I've never had to," she says softly.

"I'll play it for her now... I'll play it every night if I have to," I whisper, standing back up.

"Come on." she takes me by the hand and leads me back into her room and laying down in her bed. "I miss her a lot sometimes," she whispers as she settles in, not meeting my eyes.

"Impa?" I ask.

"Yeah... she taught me so much, I feel a little lost without her," she says, a tear falling from her eye across the bridge of her nose.

I reach over and swipe the tear from her face with my finger. "I miss them too. Darunia, Impa... Saria. Sometimes even Ruto!" I say, my lips quirking into a smile brought on my nostalgia.

"Do you think we'll ever... have them back?" she asks.

"I don't know," I answer truthfully, "they have a duty. Maybe if they find others, to I don't know, take over for them, maybe they'll come back. But for now we just have to know that they're with us in our hearts. That they're still looking out for us. Saria still comes to me sometimes, in my dreams, to make sure I'm alright."

"I see Impa sometimes too... though I didn't think she was real," she whispers.

"Just because it's a dream, doesn't mean that it's not real," I say, repeating Saria's words.

"I don't understand," she murmurs, "I was the seventh sage, but I get to live in this world. Why don't they?"

"I don't think we'll ever really understand why, Zel. I think we just have to trust that this is what is going to keep Hyrule safe... Hyrule needs you here," I say, sweeping the hair off her face.

"But do they really?" she asks.

"Yes, and... I need you... more than anything," I admit, laying my head on the pillow.

She lays her head on my chest and gently trails her fingernails over my ribs. "Do you really want me to be your wife?" she asks quietly almost as if she's embarrassed to do so.

"Of course I do," I reply with conviction, "I've wanted that for as long as I can remember."

"You should send a letter to Brielle too, inviting her," she reminds me.

"She'll be happy to come, I'm sure of it," I say, rubbing her cold arm to create some friction.

"And your friend Malon... does she want to come?" she asks.

I swallow, thinking about Malon and how I'd left her. I know that if I asked her she would come for me, she's that kind of a person. But I want to invite her personally, settle everything between us and make sure her and her father will be alright. "I need to speak with her, I'll ask her to come," I whisper.

"So you'll have to leave again?" she asks doubtfully.

"Hey," I say, tightening my grip around her waist, "it's not going to be for long. I'll be back as soon as I can."

She sharply inhales, like she wants to say anything but holds it in, waiting, or rearranging words in her head. She falls silent, swallowing back anything she was trying to say.

"Is something wrong? It seemed like you were going to say something," I mutter.

"I – no, it's nothing... sorry," she murmurs almost incoherently.

"No, what is it," I ask, readjusting and trying to sit up.

She refuses to meet my gaze and when she finally does, there are tears in her eyes.

"Zelda, why are you crying?" I demand, my heart picking up in speed.

She shakes her head and looks up at me, "Do you still... love her?"

I'm sure the shock shows on my face, the utter confusion. "Love who?" I ask bewildered.

"Malon!" she all but cries.

` "Malon? Zelda, what are you talking about? I've never loved her like I love you, I've never loved her as more than a friend. What happened between us shouldn't have happened, and that was a time in my life when I was confused and I was letting things get to me. I wasn't thinking straight. Why in the world would you even think that?" I ask, getting worked up.

"You almost slept with her, Link! You don't just do that with someone who doesn't mean anything to you," she says with a thick voice.

"I didn't say she didn't mean anything, I said I didn't love her like I love you," I try to explain, irritation entering my voice.

"So you love her then," she says, her voice quiet, resigned.

I take in a deep breath and put my hands on the sides of her face. "I am in love with you. I want you to be my wife, I want to spend my life with you. Not her. I will always feel something for her, because she has been my friend since I was a kid, but it will never be more than that. What I did with her was a mistake. And I can't change it."

"I know," she says, "I don't want to hold that against you. I just thought since that happened... you must feel something strong for her."

"Yes, but it's not anything like what I feel for you. I will always love you," I say firmly.

She nods, "I will always love you too. I'm so sorry."

"It'll be okay. I'll just go, I'll talk to her about what's happening, and I'll come back. Alright?"

She nods again, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sweetheart," I say, leaning forward and kissing her face all over before laying back on my pillow and closing my eyes, sleep beckoning me only moments later.

When I dream I see myself that night, I see myself going to Malon. I see her look of surprise when I fold her into my arms, kissing her roughly. She tries to ask what's going on, but I ignore her plea to explain. I kiss her neck, kiss her collar bone, pin her soft body underneath me. I'm not even sure if at that moment I was ready to do what it seemed like I wanted to. I wasn't thinking of her, I was thinking of Zelda. Her legs were smooth against mine, her breath warm and fast, and then she had shoved her hands against my chest and looked into my eyes.

And they were filled with tears.

That's when she had taken the blanket kicked to the end of her bed and wrapped it around herself, standing up to pick up her clothes and mine, setting them in my arms. She got dressed and hugged me tight then, kissing my hair and not saying anything, just keeping me safe in her arms.

She didn't ask for an explanation, she just knew.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

"Travel safe, okay?" I ask, hugging Link tight as he prepares to leave in the stables.

"I'll be fine Zelda, you don't have to worry," he says, a smirk in his voice.

"Sure, I can be confident that you won't be kidnapped, stabbed, or worse along the way," I say sarcastically.

"All of that is over now, I'll be perfectly safe," he assures me.

"Fine. Don't do anything stupid," I say into his hair.

"I won't. When have I ever done anything stupid?"

"Are you being serious?" I ask with an easy giggle.

"I'll be careful. Stop worrying, tell Evangeline I love her. I'll be back as soon as possible," he says seriously.

"I will," I murmur.

"Zelda?" he asks,

"Mhmm?"

"I'm never going to be able to go if you don't let go of me," he laughs.

"Right," I say, taking a quick step back and straightening out my dress.

He clasps a hand around the back of my neck and kisses my forehead as I rest my hands on his chest. "Goodbye."

"Don't say goodbye," I say when he lets go, "it makes it sound like you're going to be gone for a long time."

"Then how about see you later?" he asks.

I nod, a smile spreading on my lips, "Yeah, see you later."


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey everybody! Guess who's back?**

**It's me!**

**And guess who has been MIA?**

**It's me!**

**But guess who finished her novel which may or may not have been the reason she was MIA for so long and has only come back to you with so little?**

**That's me too.**

**See the trend? SO yes ahh, I finished my first novel and have been working on the sequel and thus this has taken somewhat of a backseat, also because it's nearing the end and I honestly don't know what to do with the ending to not make it like Disney Land Lollipop sweet, this has been on my back burner of thought provoking conversations that I have with myself. Yes folks, you heard it here first: She gets her ideas by talking to herself. But anyway, I'm like so pumped for Skyward Sword, like just dying with excitement and I really can't wait any longer. It's official. I love not being in school, it makes life so much more lazy.**

* * *

_**LINK**_

"Link!" Malon's voice yells as she runs towards me, colliding into my arms as she embraces me back.

"Hey!" I say enthusiastically, "How have you been?"

"Good, we've been good," she says, backing up again, "how's the castle?"

"Eh, good," I say, settling with the easy answer instead of bringing up the kidnapping and the proposal all at once.

"Just good?" she asks skeptically, seeing through my lie, "How's the princess?"

"She's good... actually... Malon, I wanted to talk to you about her," I say, deciding that I'd rather not skirt around the topic any longer.

"Okay," she says hesitantly, probably seeing what's coming.

"Malon!" a different voice calls, not her father's and not Ingo's either. A man, around my age rounds the corner then with a pitchfork in his hand, a confused look on his face when he finds us together. "Oh, sorry... I'm interrupting," he says quickly.

"No, no. Cam, this is Link, Link, this is Cameron," Malon says.

I extend my hand for him to shake as a familiar look of shock passes through his eyes.

"Wow, Link. It's such a pleasure, Malon's told me a lot of things about you," he says, shaking my hand firmly, a look of pure admiration on his face though it's not the uncomfortable gushing I'm usually bombarded with. It's refreshing.

I decide I like this Cameron.

"Pleasure's mine," I say.

"What do you need, Cam?" Malon asks, turning to him with a hushed voice.

"Oh, right. I just wanted to know where you kept the chicken feed," he replies just as quietly.

"It's just in the stone barn, Cameron, behind the boxes," she informs him.

"Thanks," he replies with a smile, hurrying off again.

I smile as he turns the corner again and return my gaze to Malon. "I see you took my advice of hiring another farmhand," I say.

"It was a good idea, we needed the help," she admits, watching him go until there's no further sign of him. There's something else on her face though, dare I say, affection?

"He seems like a nice guy," I test.

"He is... Papa and I have really grown to like him," she admits.

"Where is he from?" I ask.

"Kakariko, we posted an advertisement there and he responded the following day," she says. "He had apparently just been turned down to become a carpenter. Lazy bunch of people anyways."

"Yeah, I guess," I mutter.

"So... what did you want to tell me?" she asks after a moment of awkward silence, something that is rare between us.

"Um, do you want to go somewhere, I don't know, a little more private?" I ask.

"Sure," she says, stepping around me to the barn, asking with her eyes if it'll do.

"Yeah," I say, following her in.

She shuts the the door tight behind me, stepping back and crossing her arms nervously, raising her eyebrows in question.

"Malon... Now that I have the chance to be with my daughter... I really want to start being her dad," I say, turning away from her.

"Okay," she murmurs. "When are you going to ask her?"

"Ask who what?" I question, whirling back around in confusion.

"Zelda... to marry you," she says, her eyes wide and earnest.

I swallow, studying her face.

A small smile graces her lips, "You already did."

I look deep into her eyes, sparkling in the dim light. I nod slightly.

She lunges towards me, wrapping her arms around my neck and squeezing me tightly, "I'm so happy for you, Link."

"Are you really?" I ask.

"Yes, of course I am. This is everything you've ever wanted," she says into my shoulder, her voice wavering slightly.

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing, you're going to be so happy, and you're going to be a father," she says with genuine optimism.

"Yeah, I guess so-"

"And king! Oh my goodness Link, you're going to be the king!" she says, stepping back and clapping her hands over her mouth.

"Hey! Easy," I say, laughing and putting my fingers over her lips to keep her quiet. "You're the only one that knows other than Zelda and her father that we're engaged, so don't go blowing it, alright?"

She pushes my hand away, a smile on her face, "My best friend is going to be the king, how am I supposed to react?"

"Like you're finding out that I'm getting married, not that I'm becoming the king... please," I beg, clasping my hands together in front of my chin.

"Link, this is huge. And well... I would be lying if I said there wasn't a part of me that... that wishes that we could just be friends always and you would always be here, I mean, I'll miss you so much. But don't get me wrong, I'm so happy for you, and I'm so excited to meet your daughter," she says, reaching out and taking my hand in hers.

"Well, I expect you to have the perfect little horse picked out for her on her fifth birthday," I say, taking her other hand.

"Oh, she's going to be daddy's little girl, huh?" she asks, smirking at me with an arched eyebrow.

"She already is," I say.

"Well, she's so lucky to have you and Zelda, and she's lucky to have parents that love each other so much," she says, just a vague hint of longing in her eyes.

"Well, all of her friends will be jealous when she gets to come and ride horses at Auntie Malon's house," I say.

Her chin quivers, her lips quirking into a smile as water fills her eyes. "Auntie Malon?"

"I still want you in my life, and hers," I say.

She nods, "Thank you."

"You're my best friend, you think I could just forget about you?" I ask her.

She shakes her head, wiping away the tears as she lets out a laugh, "No, I guess not."

"But I better get back, I told Zelda I wouldn't be long," I say, letting go of her with a sad smile.

"Okay, well I'll see you soon then. I mean, I expect an invitation to your wedding," she says, poking me in the chest.

"Okay, okay, don't worry about it," I say, pushing away her hand gently.

"Travel safe, okay?" she says, punching me playfully in the chin.

"I always am with Epona, tell your dad I say hi," I say, turning and leaving the barn and untying Epona at the side of the barn.

She waits in the doorway, watching me go and waving her hand high above her head as I turn the corner, heading back home.

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

"Flour is not a toy, how many times do I have to tell you that?" I ask, mostly to myself as I lift Evangeline out of a pile of fine white powder.

"Oh, Princess, I'm so sorry," Adelaide says flustered, trying to sweep the flour off of Evangeline's dress. "I just brought her down here because I had to make a pie for dinner tonight and I turned around for two minutes and-"

"Adelaide, it's fine," I say with a carefree laugh, "you on the other hand, need to learn that food is not for playing with."

Evangeline reaches and grasps a handful of my hair, coating the blonde strand with flour. She pouts at me, making a little cry of anger.

"Nuh, uh, uh," I say, unfurling her hand, trying to make her look at me, "Evangeline, do you want to go to bed early tonight? You're sure acting grumpy."

"Maybe it's because mum is acting all uptight because dad is away," a voice behind me says.

I whirl around and find Link leaning against the doorway of the kitchen, his arms crossed loosely across his chest. I try to contain the expanding feeling in my chest and suppress my happiness at the sight of him.

I turn back and look at Evangeline in my arms, "Maybe dad is right, but maybe if he wouldn't have been so long, mum wouldn't have been so worried."

"Maybe dad was just stopping to get mum her favorite flowers from the hill they used to sit on to show her that he was thinking of her the whole time he was gone," he says as I step towards him, his eyes watching my lips.

"Maybe mum would believe him if the flowers were actually here," I say, feeling his warm breath on my face.

"Maybe mum should look to her right, because they're sitting on the counter," he says, nodding to the side.

I don't have any more witty remarks, I turn and find them there, the hundreds of tiny violet blossoms attached to delicate green stalks, a bundle of them tied together with a white ribbon. I take them in my hand and brush them against Evangeline's nose. "Do they smell nice?" I ask her.

She nods dramatically. I turn to Link and smile, mouthing the words, "Thank you."

He nods at me, pushing himself out of the doorway and taking my face in his hands to press his lips softly to mine. "I missed you," he murmurs.

"It seems like it was so long," I admit.

He nods, looking down and kissing Evangeline's forehead, "Hey, sweety."

She grips the bundle of flowers tight in her hands, and yanks them from me. "Mine," she says, determined to keep them.

"You have such an attitude," I mumble to her.

"She gets it from someone I know," says Link, looking down at me with a smirk.

"Maybe," I say, reaching up on my tip toes to kiss him again, "but she gets the mess making from you."

* * *

I stand facing the mirror as Adelaide laces up the back of my dress, using gentle hands to make sure I don't suffocate. I had always appreciated that about Adelaide, that she was always so gentle with me. She has been my best friend since we hired her when I was seventeen, when the country was regrouping. Once she's finished, she takes my hair in her hands and lays it over my shoulders, the long, perfect curls bouncing slightly.

"I can finish up on my own. Thank you Adelaide," I say, touching her hand that still rests on my shoulder.

"Good day, Miss," she says after a brief nod.

I smile at her as she leaves, sitting down in front of my vanity and weaving flowers into the locks. I apply a light blush, a light gold eye shadow, still trying to look like myself as I get ready. A rose colored lipstick is applied to my mouth, making my lips pop just slightly more.

I place one of my mother's old Tiara's on top of my head and put her ring on my finger, for one of the very few times in my adult life, bare of any glove. I can't help but smile as I look at it, the deep blue sapphire twinkling in my eyes.

I know I should wait, but I can't seem to stay seated any longer. I rise from my seat and take the folds of my dress in my hands, exiting my room on tip toe as if I'm trying to avoid being caught. I walk down a few doors before standing in front of one that causes butterflies to flutter in my stomach. I raise my hand and knock twice.

He answers just moments later, keeping the door open only a crack so that I can't see past him.

"Excuse me, Miss," he says, "but I have to go and call the doctors."

My brow furrows, "Why is that?"

"Because there's an angel standing in my doorway, so someone must have died," he says quietly.

I push the door open, finding him dressed regally, so unlike how he usually dresses that it catches me off guard. "You look so handsome," I say.

"I can't even begin to describe how beautiful you look. But I must ask why you're here, I mean, isn't this kind of thing against tradition?" he asks, his eyes trapped on me.

"What about us is traditional?" I ask, stepping into his arms and resting my face against his shoulder.

"We can't even stick to one tradition though? The groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding," he chides jokingly.

"I couldn't wait," I whisper.

"Me neither," he says into my hair, "I was going crazy in here thinking about you."

"You still have to act surprised," I say, pulling back, "I mean when you see me walking down the aisle."

"Zelda," he murmurs, touching my cheek, "no amount of preparation could make me not be in complete awe of you."

I smile, his words making my heart ache, "Don't make me ruin my makeup."

He laughs lightly, "Only your lips."

He presses his mouth to mine, parting my lips slightly as he holds me gently against him. I don't think I can wait a couple more hours to make it official, I don't think I can wait another second. But it's okay, because this man kissing me is going to be my husband, finally after seven years of waiting for him to appear, after three years of war, and after months of wishing things had been different, I'm going to remain in this set of arms for the rest of my life.

Which I suppose is worth the wait.

**THE END**

* * *

(A/N X 2!) HAH I GOT YOU. See, like at the beginning I was making it seem like I didn't know where it was going to end? Anybody? Anybody?

Is it really over? I don't know. I guess that's for me to decide, and for you to find out. I don't know if this will be the last technical chapter but there will definitely still be an epilogue type thing and an alternate ending I have stirred up in my brain so it's not quite over. Fear not dear people. But as I was writing this, I managed to make things happy, not completely bore myself to tears with useless details, incorporate the name of the story, and make a satisfying (to me anyways) ending all at once. So this _might_ be the ending, just might. Also, please no reviews asking what happened to Link's grandma, she will make an appearance in future chapters. Also, I didn't want to get into the whole planning of their wedding, because wedding planning sucks. So I just skipped over it and surprised you all!

That is all. Stay tuned.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys. It's me again. This is sort of an epilogue, just because I cannot live without resolution, good or bad. I must know how people's lives go on after the story ends. Sorry this is so lengthy... I also want to write like an alternate ending, kind of like an Epilogue to the Epilogue but it doesn't have to fit into the story if you don't want it to... because well, the double epilogue is kinda sad but kinda of like "ohh..."**

**No more spoilers.**

**Anyways, I hope this shows how life goes on and stuff but how everything's not all dandy or whatever. Also excuse any spelling or grammar errors, it's late and I was too lazy to go back over this. But yeah, should you choose to call this the ending, this story is now finished, and i'm sure once Skyward Sword comes out, all of this is going to not work and have a lot of errors so it's good I'm getting it out before it hits shelves, or else I may or may not be screwed.**

**Also, I may or may not have to write another for Link and Zelda in Skyward Sword because they are the cutest Zelda couple ever! I'm going there. That Zelda is the perfect combination of all of Link's love pursuits. She's got the princess kind of persona (yes people, I know she is NOT a princess in Skyward Sword) but she's got that hero/princess dynamic with Link, she's got that sassy factor of Malon, she's the childhood friend like Ilia. Basically there is no reason for them NOT to get together. Anyway... Please drop me a review if you have 20 seconds to let me know what you think of the ending or the story in general! It would be greatly appreciated. Or hey, hated the story? Give me a comment about my writing! Thanks a ton!**

* * *

_**LINK**_

I open my eyes to the face of an angel, lost peacefully to sleep. Her silvery blonde hair spills down her bare shoulders, onto my arm that serves as her pillow. She's so beautiful. I reach gently over and touch her soft lips with my index finger, feeling her warm breath play on my skin. I move my hand down to her shoulders, her skin cool beneath the pads of my fingers and slip my hand under the thin strap of her nightgown, rubbing her skin gently.

I let go of her for a brief moment, taking the quilt and pulling it up to her shoulders to keep her warm. She stirs briefly, nestling her head into my chest and sighs into sleep.

The peace is disturbed however by the hiccup of a baby, followed by a stuttered cry.

Her eyes flash open, the icy blue of them capturing mine. She gives me a wishful look and presses her lips to my collar bone. "I'll get her," I whisper.

"No, I can get her," she says as I sift her hair through my fingers.

"Let me get her," I insist.

Our door flies open then, the sound of feet on the floor rushing over to us, and within a moment a small body collapses on top of us. "Wake up, wake up!" the small voice exclaims.

"Evangeline!" Zelda says, a smile on her face, "You're crushing me!"

"I'm not that big," Evangeline says, pouting.

I sit up, snatching her up in my arms and squeezing her tight against me, "You're almost getting too big to tickle."

I let my fingers poke easily at her stomach as she squirms in my embrace, giggling constantly. "Daddy!" she yells, "I'm only seven."

"_Only_ seven," I joke.

The baby in the cradle in the corner of the room starts crying harder now and I have to place Evangeline beside Zelda so I can get our youngest up. I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and reach for my cane, the morning particularly hard on my body. I've never completely healed.

I limp over to her cradle, settling my cane on the edge and reaching in to pick her slight body up into my arms. I press gentle kisses all over her face as I take her back over to our bed, sitting down with a sigh as I lay her on her back. Zelda sits up and picks her up, bouncing her in her arms.

"Are you hungry sweetheart?" Zelda asks her.

Evangeline perches on the bed, looking down at her baby sister with a look of pure delight on her face. She pecks little kisses on her bare head and talks quietly to her.

"I have to feed her honey. Where are your brothers?" Zelda asks.

"Still sleeping," Evangeline replies.

"Go and wake them up, tell them that Grandma is coming to stay with us today so they need to get ready," Zelda says as Evangeline climbs off our bed. "Babe, could you hand me that blanket?"

I glance over and hand her one of our baby, Olivia's, blankets. She drapes it over her shoulder and holds Olivia close to her breast, closing her eyes as she feeds our baby. I snuggle in closer to my wife, wrapping my arm around her waist and close my eyes as well. Shortly after we'd been married, Zelda found she was pregnant once more, though this time I was here for her. Nine months later she gave birth to our first son, Logan. A year later we found out we were expecting twins, and our sons Jack and Owen were born. Finally, just one year ago we learned of our newest baby, Olivia. She's three months old now, a tiny little thing but she's a fighter.

"When is your grandmother coming in at?" Zelda asks.

I sigh against her skin. "Around noon," I murmur.

"Good," she says as she readjusts, her face strained as she fixes Olivia's position. "Then we'll have some time with her before the ceremony." I nod as she slips her nightgown back over her shoulder and uncovers Olivia from beneath the blanket. "Will you burp her?" she asks.

"Yeah, sure," I say, sitting up and taking the small child into my arms, her tongue sticking out of her mouth. I smile down at how adorable she is. I sit her in between my legs, holding her blanket underneath her chin and patting her back.

Zelda inches closer to us, kneeling with her arms wrapped around my chest, her chin resting on my shoulder as she peers down at Olivia. Olivia lets out a small burp, and both Zelda and I let out a small "Oh!" in response, chuckling at ourselves and at our baby.

Our three sleepy boys enter the room then, Logan, four years old, and Jack and Owen almost three. Evangeline files in behind them, her smile bright and warm. She has always been our happiest child, though, she's also always been our child with the most attitude. We love that about her though, and we can't help but admit that she's a product of her environment.

The boys climb onto our bed, Jack and Owen with the assistance of their older sister and they all climb under the covers, attempting to fit all seven of us into one bed. This is what I love about being a father, being surrounded by individuals that love you so unconditionally, that just want to be near you and look up to you. It's humbling.

Eventually we all have to get up though and get ready. It's a big day, so we don't have a lot of time to sleep in. Everyone dresses in their best clothes, my little girls looking like princesses and Zelda looking like a queen. The boys wear their formal attire, looking much too serious for how young they are, but it's a serious occasion.

I still don't like wearing the formal clothes, but especially on days like today, I have to look the part for the public. After we'd been married, Zelda's father took me under his wing, teaching me everything he knew and training me to lead the country with Zelda. She and I barely got to see each other at first, but things changed when Logan came. For the past five years I've still been learning, but I've become somewhat comfortable with the attention and with the role. Zelda is still the one they look up to though, she's still the one I turn to.

"Grandma!" Evangeline yells as she runs down the hall to a tired looking Brielle standing in the front doorway at noon. She launches herself into her arms and she stumbles backwards slightly but smiles and laughs as she pets her great granddaughter's hair, a tenderness in her eyes that makes my heart burn.

Zelda comes to my side, resting a hand on my chest, her other around my waist as she watches our children swarm Grandma. Adelaide stands to our side holding Olivia, a smile on her face. We all make our way into the dining hall after all the hugs and kisses are exchanged.

Malon and Cameron have already been escorted inside along with their son Matthew who's a few months older than the twins. They've made the trip to Castle Town for the ceremony and so naturally we offered them lodging here for the night before. They stand as we enter as is tradition but Zelda is quick to offer them their seats once more, giving Malon a hug before she sits down. They've become closer since Cameron and Malon were married, now they're like best friends. I shake Cameron's hand and give Malon a kiss on her cheek. Brielle gives Malon a tight hug, having met her at me and Zelda's wedding.

We make polite conversation, but all of our hearts are already reverent in preparation for tonight, even the children seem to understand the weight of today, but still act as children do, giggling and laughing, lightening the tone.

"Are the twins going to school next year?" Malon asks, taking a sip of wine.

"I think we'll put them into primary, how about Matthew?" Zelda asks.

"I don't think we'll start putting Matty in school until he's a little bit older. I just don't think we can take the trip between the ranch and castle town every day right now. When he's older he can ride in by himself but he's too small now," Malon says.

I smile, remembering a time when it was far too dangerous to travel through the fields alone, but now a child Evangeline's age could without a worry. Peace time has spoiled us.

"Will he go to school in Castle Town or Kakariko?" Zelda asks.

"Probably Kakariko," Malon says, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Castle Town is closer though isn't it?" Zelda asks, furrowing her brow.

"Yes, it's just... it's – it's more expensive," Malon murmurs, her cheeks turning pink. Cameron closes a hand around hers.

"Malon, we'll take care of it. I want you to have what's best for you, and Matthew," Zelda says, "plus, the boys get along so well. Link and I would be thrilled if Matthew was in the twins' class."

Cameron smiles at his shocked wife and turns to Zelda, "You're too kind., but we can't accept this."

"Yes you can," I interject, "you're like family."

Malon's eyes are filled with tears as she smiles at the both of us, "Thank you."

I nod at her, and shift my glance over to my grandmother, something like pride in the set of her lips as she sips her soup quietly. There's something so new and different about family that I don't think I can ever live without now. I don't know how I got through twenty-one years of my life without it, and I don't know how I ever thought I could move on without Zelda and Evangeline with me. I look at my other children, at my boys and I think of Olivia taking her nap. None of them would be here if Zelda hadn't been so persistent in holding onto me.

I watch the children eating at a smaller table, all laughing and goofing off as kids do. I look at Matthew with the red hair he'd inherited from his mother and wonder if he would be here if things had been different. I wonder if Cameron and Malon would have even met. Things I thought were small, or perhaps insignificant; telling Malon to hire another farmhand, looking at the pictures in Zelda's room, have changed everything.

I glance at my grandmother, engaged in a conversation with Zelda. If Lawrence hadn't left Zelda, I wouldn't have found her, gone up to Zelda's room and seen the pictures of my parents. I would have never looked for her. All this time she would have thought I was dead. My uncle Daniel, and his wife Aryll that had moved far away after what happened to my mother, wouldn't have moved back to Outset, they would never have rekindled their relationship with Brielle.

We never thought about the impact our decisions would make, we just made them, but I'm glad that we did. It doesn't do well to dwell on what could have been, but I am eternally grateful for what is. I consider my mother and father, Todd and Evangeline Harker that died without being able to see their lives with satisfaction, or mine. But had the war not happened, had they not been killed, I would never have met Zelda.

I am grateful for everything, and for everyone in my life. And I'm grateful for everything I have now, that would not have been if not for hardship, and death, and trials.

Even when Zelda lays in my arms at night and traces patterns on all of my scars, reminding me of everything that's happened, I can't complain.

* * *

It's quiet inside, and dark. I know that outside there are hundreds, thousands of people waiting for us, but they aren't what stir my heart. A soft gloved hand touches my face then, coaxing my eyes up. I look into Zelda's eyes as a tear slips from mine and soaks into the fabric covering her hand. She lets her hand drift past my face then, bringing her other arm up to hold me around my neck.

It's for my parents, it's for my friends that didn't survive. It's for all the innocent people.

"I'll get the children," she murmurs into my ear, pressing a reassuring kiss to the hollow below my earlobe.

I nod, releasing her as she opens the door to the hall and welcomes our kids inside, taking Olivia into her arms from Adelaide. She gives me one last look as I take a deep breath, my cane in hand as we step out the double doors that lead out onto the wide balcony, our people waiting below. The night envelopes the hills around us, but the square is lit with all the candles they hold in their hands. All of their mouths are sealed tight, the night silent except for the chirp of crickets, the whisper of the wind.

I look at Zelda once, at my kids around us peering over the balcony, at her father, sitting in a throne behind us, and my grandmother opposite him. "People of Hyrule," I begin, my voice sober, "Nine years ago today, Ganondorf was defeated and sealed away."

Not a single murmur is heard, though some grim faces break into grateful smiles, some eyes shining.

"This is a reason to celebrate, yes, this is a day of celebration. But this is the time where we remember those we lost during this time, this is a moment where we commemorate them. Some were soldiers, dying to try and protect their country and people, some were innocent citizens with pure hearts and pure souls," I continue, knowing that both my mother and father fell into those categories.

"We all lost something during this time, or someone," I say softer though with everyone so quiet, my voice still echoes through the square. "It is for them that we remain at peace today, that we rebuild this kingdom. We do it for their brothers and sisters, their parents, their children, their friends. We will do it for them. We will continue to fight away evil so that they never have to see harm befall their beloved from where they are above us, with the Goddesses that gave us this land.

"We are all capable of rebuilding, of proving to them and to the Goddesses that we deserve this gift of life they've given us. That is why I'm proud to say, nine years later, nine years after he's gone, that we are a unified nation. That we have strong allies and friends," I say, motioning towards Lawrence and his wife Terilyn, sitting on a balcony to our left with their brand new daughter Annie, "and that we were strong enough to defeat our enemies in the face of great adversity."

People nod their heads, Zelda takes a step closer to me and I immediately feel more at peace.

"And now it is our time to take comfort in the fact that our loved ones are at peace, that there is no need for them to worry about us. Now is our time to celebrate our peace in Hyrule," I conclude, feeling shining eyes upon me though trembling lips turn up into smiles.

I turn to look at Zelda, prepared to go back inside when suddenly a call from the audience jolts my attention. A young child shouts from the crowd, "Thank you, Link!"

I'm not bothered by the informal use of my name, I narrow my eyes as I try to pick out the child, my eyes starting to water as my throat feels as if it's closing. I find a little boy, standing on the edge of a fountain so he can be seen and heard, and he bows. Everyone around him slowly follows his example, until the whole of the audience has bowed their heads, even Lawrence and his wife, even Malon and Cameron, even Zelda and her father and my grandmother. All four of my children old enough to walk bow.

I cover my mouth in shock, because this display of respect is not for the King of Hyrule, it's for Link, the boy from Kokiri Forest.

I swallow, looking out over the crowd, and breath in for a moment, collecting myself. When I speak though, my voice trembles slightly. "Thank you. Thank you so much, but this honor does not belong only to myself." I take Zelda by her waist and pull her in closer to me, "To, the sages, to your Queen who led them, and to all of those who lost their lives in the attempt to protect us."

I turn then, taking Zelda's hand and leading her back inside with the kids and our family. The doors close as applause breaks out, applause untainted with hollering or shouting, just appreciative applause. Zelda's father squeezes my shoulder and offers me a crinkly eyed smile, my grandmother hugs me tight. I kneel down and gather my children into a hug before they follow grandma and grandpa outside to leave Zelda and I alone.

I find her in my arms as soon as the door clicks shut, her arms tight around my neck. I can tell with her so close and her chest trembling slightly against mine that she's crying. I do the same. "I love you so much," she says, her voice thick with tears.

"I love you too," I whisper, pressing my lips to her temple.

She pulls back only slightly to put her lips on mine, kissing me with a vigorous passion. "You saved all those people, Link. We wouldn't have been able to do anything were it not for you," she murmurs against my face. "You're a hero."

"I don't see it that way-" I begin.

Her look stops me mid sentence. "Link, do you remember back after the war when we first met your grandmother?"

I nod, biting my lip.

"She said that you would be talked about in stories. And that's the truth. There won't be a child for centuries to come who won't know your name, and it's not because of what we did, it's not because of who you are now, it's because of that little boy who had the courage to stand up and fight when no one thought he could succeed."

"That little boy was just doing his best to try and save a certain princess," I say, brushing my nose against hers as my eyes close.

"Then it'll be _our_ story. But don't you dare, for one second think that you are not an inspiration and a hero to these people," she reminds me softly.

"Our story," I murmur and let out a breath of a laugh, "I like that."

"You should write it down. People will want to know about it," she says, kissing me once.

I kiss her again, holding her lip between mine for a second longer than she did. "Only if you'll help me. I want both of our sides told."

"Of course I'll help you," she says. "I'll _always_ help you."

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

"It's quiet," I note as I sit in bed, reading a book as Link undresses.

"So rare these days," he agrees. He drapes his shirt over the bedpost and climbs in beside me, kissing my neck as I giggle. "How did we end up with so many kids? Hmm?"

I roll my eyes as I slip a bookmark into my book and set it on the bedside table. "Well," I begin, turning to him and laying him on his back while I lay on his chest, "we did say we wanted seven."

"_You_ said you wanted seven," he corrects with a smile, running his fingers through my hair.

"You didn't object," I say.

"No... we're blessed to have all of them," he says in all seriousness. "I can't imagine life without them now."

"Me neither. Even Olivia, thinking of life before her seems so bizarre," I murmur, wrapping an arm around his waist.

He makes a soft sound in agreement and puts one hand on my hip, the other on my arm. "Well, Princess," he whispers, "I was never good at arithmetic, but if I'm correct we only have five, which means there are still two to go."

"You're correct," I say with a smug smile.

"For the sake of the kids, I don't want them to have a huge gap between their ages. I want them to be close to one another," he says.

"You think we should try again so soon?" I ask softly, letting my fingers run gently over the scar on his stomach, the little blonde hairs standing up straight.

"Only if you want to. I mean, this choice would affect you far more than it would affect me," he says sincerely.

"I _do_ want two more," I say quietly, listening to the constant thrumming of his heart pick up only slightly. I've always loved how I could affect him so. He can battle off evil creatures without breaking a sweat, without thinking twice, but my fingers on his skin make him nervous.

I turn my face back towards him, touching his lip gently with my finger before closing mine over his. I let my lips trail down his lips and across his chin and jaw bone and to the soft underside of his jaw.

"What's this for?" he asks slightly breathlessly.

I smile against his throat. "I said I wanted two more."

* * *

I gasp as I sit up, clutching sheets close to my chest, a cold sweat on the back of my neck. I cough out an uncomfortable sob that stirs my husband from sleep. I'm grateful that our baby is sleeping in the nursery tonight, I wouldn't want to wake her.

"Zelda," he says groggily, sitting up and laying a hand on my bare back. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head, my hands shaking as I bury my face in them. He lets out a soft sigh, pressing his warm lips to my shoulder, my skin chilled.

"You're shaking, sweetheart. What's going on? Did you have a nightmare?" he asks gently.

"I was back there," I say with a trembling voice, "on the top of the tower."

"What tower?" he whispers, rubbing my back gently.

"Ganon's," I sputter out, sucking in a loud breath as I try to suppress the memory. "We were at the top of the tower... and – and we were running – trying to escape – but I k-kept falling."

"Shh," he hushes wrapping his arm around my shoulders, "we're both fine."

I turn to him and wrap my arms around his neck, holding him close to me.

"Zelda, honey, you're shivering," he says, rubbing my skin in attempt to create some friction.

"And something fell on you and you were trapped," I continue, trying to remind myself that he's beside me, that what happened in my dream isn't reality.

"I'm right here," he murmurs, sitting up. "Here, put your nightgown back on, you're so cold."

I let go of him long enough for him to retrieve my nightgown that lays discarded on the ground. He picks up his clothes and puts them back on as well, and immediately the feeling of vulnerability is subdued with the comfortable weight of my clothes on my shoulders.

"I couldn't help you," I mutter, replacing my face against his shoulder again as he leans against the headboard, "I tried so hard but I couldn't do anything."

"It was just a dream," he murmurs almost silently.

I cry softly now, the tears soaking into his shirt as he strokes my arm gently. He lays my head in his lap and reaches out to his bedside table and I'm unable to see what he's reaching for. But suddenly the thick silence breaks as the creamy tone of music plays a familiar melody. His ocarina sits between his lips as my lullaby soothes my nerves.

I remember the day he first learned it, so many years ago in the courtyard after we'd just met. Even then, the way he had been able to play it with such flawless talent moved me. Now after so many years and such perfection, I can't help but feel reassured as the melody progresses.

As long as he plays it I know that he's here.

As long as he plays it I know that I'm safe.

* * *

_**1 YEAR LATER  
**_

_**LINK**_

My heart stops for a moment; I'm in my office, signing papers, organizing trade agreements when the doors are thrown open.

"Your Highness, there's something wrong."

Those few words are what jolts my system, makes my hand stop moving.

I don't even have time to ask what it is, time to make sure that it's worth my while. I push past the guard standing in the doorway and sprint to the hospital wing, wanting to prove to myself that my family is safe, but having a terrible nagging feeling in my heart.

My heart feels like it's being crushed in a powerful fist when I see that the hospital is buzzing with nurses and doctors, laying on the hospital bed is Zelda.

"What's going on?" I demand as I push my way to her, I see that she's still conscious but clearly in a great deal of pain. I kneel by her side and take her hand, burning and damp with sweat. I direct my attention quickly back to the doctor when I see that she's still alive.

"She said she started having contractions this afternoon, there may be complications with the baby," the doctor says firmly.

"Contractions?" I yell. "She's only six months! What's happening to her?"

"Your highness," he says calmly, "she is in labor, she is going to deliver this baby."

"Already?" I ask, completely shocked.

"Your wife said the contractions started this afternoon, currently she is ready to have this baby. Had she come in sooner we might have been able to find an alternative route but with such little time, this is our only option," the doctor explains.

"I didn't know, I just thought I was having some stomach pain, I didn't think anything of it," Zelda says quickly through a grimace.

"It's okay, it's not your fault. Will the baby be okay?" I ask, my throat feeling as if it's closing.

He takes a deep breath, putting on a hospital mask and gloves, "Right now my main concern is your wife."

I look back to Zelda, the fear and dread in my heart taking control. "Link," she says, her voice strained with tears, "Link, I'm scared."

I kiss her hand and look into her eyes, feeling mine fill with tears. "Me too, sweetheart."

I know that wasn't the response she was looking for or expecting. She sobs as a reply, gasping as her body is wracked with pain.

"Listen to me," I say, "Listen to me."

She turns towards me again, her face hopeless.

"I'm scared too, but we're going to get through this, okay? And our baby is going to be just fine and everything is going to be alright. But you have to be brave, and I'll be here no matter what, and you have to hold on, okay? You have to promise me you'll hold on," I continue, sweeping her damp hair off her face.

"I'll hold on, I'll hold on," she repeats over again, "Link... I'm so scared."

"I'm right here... I'm not going anywhere," I remind her gently, kissing her forehead tenderly.

"Zelda, listen to me, I need you to push now," the doctor says from the foot of the bed.

She cries out, shaking her head back and forth vigorously, speaking in a panicked voice. "No, no. I'm not ready."

"Zelda, look at me. You need to do this, okay? I'm right here and you don't need to worry," I say, nodding at her with encouragement.

"Okay, Zelda. Push," the doctor says.

She closes her eyes, her brow furrowing only slightly as she holds her breath though she doesn't make any sound. My heart is pounding so hard it's all I can hear.

"Good Zelda, good!" the doctor says.

She lets out a breath, her eyes fluttering open as a tear runs down the side of her face. I wipe it away and hold her hand tight. The doctor proceeds to have her push again and again and again, and she does so with the same contained exertion.

"I can see the baby's head, Zelda. One more," he says.

The next sound to break the silence is the cry of a baby. I glance up and see the bright red child being wrapped in a blanket, a little boy, his body far more fragile and small than our other children. Tears stream down my face as I hold Zelda tight, kissing her over and over again. Before we can even see him though, he's rushed off for tests.

Her face looks so tired, "Where are they taking him?" she manages to ask in a groggy voice.

"To make sure he's okay, sweetheart. You did so good, Zelda-"

I'm interrupted though as she cries out in pain, a nurse widening her eyes in shock and hurrying after the doctor as she watches.

"Zelda?" I ask, alarmed.

"What's going on?" she asks, her breath racing in and out.

The doctor appears around the corner again and we both watch him with anticipation as he looks her over, touching her stomach and then looking at us with wide eyes. "Zelda, you're carrying twins."

Zelda and I exchange a look of shock, excitement, utter fear, and most of all anxiety as she has to gather all of her strength once more. I know she's exhausted. She looks completely defeated though and I can't help but feel my heart break slightly at the thought of her having to push through this again, though this time with no energy.

But she does what she has to do. She lets the fear get to her for only five seconds before she closes her eyes and nods as she listens to the doctor's direction. She has more courage than I could ever hope to display, more strength in herself than I could hope to have. She's the most incredible woman, no, human I have ever met. When our third daughter is born I hold Zelda for a long time after they clean her up and make sure she's okay. I lay on the bed beside her and just hold her in my arms even when they're checking up on her to make sure she'll be alright.

We're not allowed to see our two babies for a while as the doctors run some tests to make sure they're both healthy, being three months premature. But when we do see them, Zelda in a wheel chair outside of little glass incubators, they're the most beautiful things we've ever seen. They're so tiny, small enough to fit into my hand, but they have to much fight in them.

"Todd," she says.

"Hmm?" I murmur, mesmerized by the sight of them and not sure I heard her clearly.

"I want to name him Todd, after your dad," Zelda says, covering my hand on her shoulder with hers.

I smile faintly and crouch by her side to lean my head against her arm. "And what about her?"

"I don't know... I had the name Nora in mind, but looking at her now... it doesn't fit," she says with her lip in between her teeth.

"Well," I begin, kissing her on the cheek, "I think she should be named after the most amazing woman I know."

"Being?" she asks, her eyes trapped on the twins.

"You. She should have the family name, even if she goes by something else until she's older. A middle name," I suggest.

"How about... Zelda Abigail. We can call her Abby, what do you think?" she asks with a small smile.

"Zelda Abigail Hyrule. It's beautiful."

"We got exactly what we wanted," she says softly.

"Everything worked out perfectly," I agree, "and all of them are perfect."

But we both know that everything isn't always perfect. We know that there were many nights before this that woke the two of us with only the hope of being able to fall back asleep without dreaming again. But we can take comfort in each other, and we can take comfort in our children. Evangeline, the daughter that brought us back together after so long, Logan, our first son as a married couple, Jack and Owen, our first set of twins that reassured us that this family is what we wanted, Olivia, our second girl and precious gift, and Todd and Zelda Abigail, our little miracles.

There are things worth living through the regret and restless nights for. There are reasons to look past feeling sorrow over the people we've lost.

I've got eight reasons.

* * *

**ACK it's over. Also, ew, birth scenes. Gross. Also, it was late and there were way too many names I had to make up for this section so I may or may not have used my own name. Like look at all the names I had to make up:**

**Matthew, Annie, Terilyn, Logan, Jack, Owen, Olivia, Abigail.**

**okay not that many. But whatever!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Okey. So I had to split this into two parts because it was sooo extensive. I seriously started writing this part being like, oh, I can just put this up tonight, but it actually took me FOREVER. I like to call this the epilogue to the epilogue, or the alternate ending, so if you don't like this ending, just pretend it doesn't exist. It was just a crazy idea that I had.** **I'll put part two up right after this one so you don't have to wait.**

* * *

_**EVANGELINE**_

I could've sworn that the floor shook.

Only moments ago I was asleep, and now my eyes are wide, looking into the eyes of my husband as he stirs. His eyes narrow as he tries to read my expression, having been startled by the ground shaking himself. "What was that?" he asks.

I shake my head, unaware of what it could have been. I pull myself out of bed and face the double doors that open out onto a balcony, the drapes drawn closed to keep the early rising sun from waking us. But the sun doesn't find it's way through the small cracks either. The drapes don't glow with the sun shining from the other side. It must still be dark outside, though something seems off about it.

I walk slowly across the wooden floors, holding my hand out gingerly to pull aside the drapes, my husband rushing to be beside me. He reaches down to take my other hand, his breathing shallow.

I pull them back, just enough to see that it is day outside, but that the light is grey, not white or gold like it usually is in the morning. He takes the handle of the door and twists it, the door swinging open abruptly as a gale of wind rushes past us, my hair whipping around my face. He pulls me through the doors as I try to tame my hair and see that there's a storm swirling in the sky above us, black clouds billowing through a deep blue sky.

This is no ordinary storm. There is something else at work. The clouds, like they're living come speeding towards us, followed by a terrible screeching sound.

"What in Hyrule is that?" my husband asks.

My eyes widen as I realize that the clouds that have departed from the others aren't clouds at all.

"Bats!" I yell, "Keese!"

I scream as they burst past us, into our room and into the castle. My husband pulls me down beside him, shielding me with his arm as I feel the sweep of wings against my body. I let out a cry and his grip immediately tightens.

"It's coming," I whisper urgently.

"What's coming?" he asks, the bats swirling above our heads. He has to yell above the screeching of the bats and the blowing wind.

I cradle my arms around my stomach, protruding from the rest of my body. "The baby."

* * *

_**LOGAN**_

"Prince Logan. Is something wrong?"

I could have sworn I heard something, something that doesn't fit in with the setting. I look back at the soldier in front of me on my way down from Death Mountain and shake my head. "No," I say with a forced smile, "good day to you."

There's a slight rumbling beneath our feet then that evokes a startled gasp from the soldier, though being at the base of Death Mountain, I just assume it's the volcano acting up. I let out a half-hearted laugh, nervously nodding at him when I turn to leave.

"Prince Logan," he says anxiously as I take a step away from him.

I turn around to find that he's not watching me, but looking up at the sky. I follow his gaze and find a turbulent storm above the castle, pitch black clouds unfolding and cascading down from the heavens so that they look like enormous tidal waves.

"What's going on?" I ask myself in a whisper.

The heavy padding of feet interrupts my thought process, hundreds, thousands of feet shaking the earth, paired with the clanging of metal on metal.

I divert my eyes from the sky to the entrance of the village, of Kakariko where the day is just beginning, people only waking, and find an army intruding upon the peaceful village. I pull my sword from it's sheath, my heart racing in the heat of battle.

"Tell the people to lock their doors," I tell the soldier, walking down the steps towards the battlefront.

"But Prince Logan-" he begins.

I whirl around, "Just do it."

He shakes his head. "You can't think you'll defeat that army by yourself," he says, baffled.

"No one else will," I say, wielding my sword to take on the hoards of moblins. "I'll give you enough time to tell everyone to hide."

"You'll die," he calls after me as I embrace the fullness of the army I'm left to defeat by myself.

I don't reply, but it's my life, or the lives of everyone in this village. My father taught me to be brave, to see the bigger picture, to be able to make sacrifices. How could I make him proud if I turned and ran? I pass a little girl, awe struck at the sight of the army, frozen in fear.

I turn her around and whisper in her ear, "Go home, tell your mom to lock the doors."

She sprints. I grip my sword in my left hand, no shield to protect me, no one to take my back. This is the kind of thing my father told me about as a boy, the things he went through. I wonder how he must have done it, summoned all his courage to be able to fight in the face of absolute fear.

If I have even an ounce of my father's courage I can do this.

I can do this.

* * *

_**JACK**_

I love the morning shift at the pub, because the most beautiful women are always working it. The one currently behind the counter has flowing auburn hair, pale skin and icy blue eyes. She wears a creamy shirt laced up at the front with short sleeves. Her skirt ties around her waist and flows to her knees, a rich raspberry color. She's been smiling shyly at my brother all night and all morning.

"I call dibs, Owen."

"You can't call dibs, Jack. I saw her first," Owen protests.

"But I am the eldest so my dibs has greater weight than yours does, dear brother," I combat.

"And what of the Falvale princess, Jack? I thought you had dibs on Annie as well. Let me remind you that you cannot have dibs on both," Owen says, his eyebrow twitching slightly. I know now that he's getting marginally annoyed, playing right into my hands.

"Annie _is_ mine," I say, hoping to a get a rise out of him.

He pounds his fist into the table, "_No_, Jack. She's not. You can't go around claiming every woman in Hyrule, Termina, and Falvale."

I chuckle, leaning on the hind legs of my chair and holding out my hands, palms up. "Owen, Owen. When you have looks like I do, you can't keep them off of you. Every woman wants the same thing, and who am I to deny them?" I ask with a shrug.

Owen lunges off of his chair then, letting out a wild roar of fury and shoves my chest. With the little balance I'm maintaining on the chair, I fall backwards, Owen on top of me with his fists gripping my shirt. He's always been the more chivalrous of the two of us, the more restrained, but when I push him over the edge, he gives in to the rage he houses inside himself.

The girl behind the counter gasps as he lands his fist into my cheekbone, but that's the only blow he can land on me before I flip him over so that I pin him down. "Easy little brother," I chide, "your woman doesn't appreciate violence."

"Prince Owen?" the girl asks, standing in front of the bar now, watching us with her hands clasped nervously at her heart. She has brown boots laced up to her shins, different shoes than what I expected her to be wearing.

I glance up at her with confusion as Owen pushes me off of him. "I'm fine, Ari."

"Ari?" I ask, still sitting on the floor, rubbing my sore cheek as I pair the two of them together.

"I'm Arianna," she says with a meek smile, holding out her hand to me. "I've heard so much about you, Prince Jack, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

I take her hand and help myself to my feet. She curtsies upon being on even ground with me. I glance down at Owen, still getting up and smirk at him. He's done better than I give him credit for. The girl wasn't smiling at him because she's seeing one of the princes, she's smiling at him because something has already happened between the two of them.

"The pleasure's mine, Arianna. If you'll excuse my idiot brother's behavior, he was getting a little possessive of you. I'm sure you'll understand that I had no intention of hurting him."

Her cheeks turn red as she exchanges a brief glance with Owen. Our conversation however, is cut short when the door is abruptly broken down, Arianna gluing herself to the wall in fear as an iron knuckle appears in the doorway.

* * *

_**OWEN**_

My first thought is that I'd only ever heard of these in Dad's stories.

My second thought is to make sure Ari is safe. I look at her, fear in her eyes. "Ari, go hide," I say, the knuckle moving towards us slowly. She kisses my cheek quickly and then rushes to the back room.

"Owen... what the h-" Jack mutters, staring at the enormous metal-clad being.

"Jack!" I yell, pushing him out of the way when it's battle axe slices through the air and lodges itself into the floor.

"Thanks man," Jack says, straightening out his shirt as he eyes the weapon.

I reach up onto the wall, taking down two swords that had been attached to a Hylian crest. I toss one to him and he snags it from the air, holding it up in defense like we'd been taught to do at school. "Just like Dad taught us," I tell him.

"Of course, after you my good brother," Jack says, the sparkle of fire in his eyes.

I smirk at him, holding the sword above my head and jumping at the beast while Jack rolls around to the back, slicing at it's weak spot while it's preoccupied with me.

As it stumbles forward I catch Jack's eye. He may drive me crazy, but he's my twin. My dad says that we fight better together than we ever could on our own.

And we know it.

* * *

_**OLIVIA**_

"Will I see you again soon?"

"After the season break I'll be back for another semester. Don't worry, it's only a week."

I nestle my head into his shoulder, letting him wrap his arms around me and keep me warm in the cool morning air. "I know. But Matt... I... I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Liv. Hey, maybe you can come visit me at the ranch, we can ride the horses if you want.

"I'd like that. A lot," I say with a grin. "Now, you should go before my parents come to get me and find that you stayed here. I'll be in so much trouble."

"Probably not as much as me," he says, pulling back and letting his fingers slip around the back of my neck.

I reach up on my tip-toes and press my lips to his, entangling my fingers in his dark red hair he'd inherited from his mother. I hold onto his bottom lip with mine, delicately tracing my tongue over it. I kiss gently along his jaw and down his neck to his ear, carefully turning my attention to his earlobe and capturing it with my mouth. I make sure to speak quietly when I say, "Come back to me safe and sound, Matthew. Okay?"

The wind suddenly picks up and I let go of his ear to glance up into the sky, finding dark clouds above us.

He follows my gaze, my hair spinning around us. "Whoa, that looks like a big storm... I better get going before it hits."

I tuck my hair behind my ear but it's useless. I allow myself to give him one last kiss before he walks to the edge of my balcony, prepared to climb over the edge and down the vine-covered wall. He steps over the edge, lodging his feet in the vines and looks up at me, holding out his hand towards my face. I lean my elbows on the balcony railing and let him settle his palm there for a moment when it's suddenly ripped away.

"Matt!" I scream, thinking he's fallen.

That's when I see that he's still clinging to the balcony, though his legs are dangling below, a deku baba gripping one of his feet in it's mouth. If it weren't for my mother and father's stories, I wouldn't have even known what the creature below was. I grasp Matt's arms and try to pull him back up, making sure he doesn't fall, and though he hasn't called out in pain or distress, I can tell by the look on his face that the baba has done plenty of damage.

"I'm going to help you," I say to him, feeling tears in my eyes.

I pull as hard as I can, and he's pulling himself up on the balcony with a look of pure anguish on his face, the teeth of the deku baba tearing into his skin. At last our strength finally wins out, a swarm of keese swooping around us. I'm grateful they hadn't come sooner, because then I might have dropped him. He collapses on the balcony in my arms, blood running down his leg though the only thing missing is his boot.

* * *

_**TODD**_

I wake when something, I assume must be a bird, flies into my window. It startles me from a dream I was having about school, so I suppose it was more of a nightmare.

I sit up, my hair sticking up oddly on one side, and the crinkling of paper accompanies me. I glance around to find my homework sprawled out on my covers. I curse quietly to myself, realizing that I hadn't gotten it done. My mother hates it when I curse. I guess once my sister wakes up I can just ask her for it.

I get up slowly, thinking it should be brighter outside though it's still quite dark. The birds aren't singing like they usually are in the morning, so I suppose it could still be night. I stretch my arms above my head, yawning as I make my way over to the window, the one the bird had flown into, and draw back the curtains.

There's a storm outside, thick black clouds swirling above the castle. I hope that school will be canceled, at least for the kids coming from out of town. Maybe I can fake sick today, I'm a pretty good actor, Mom usually buys it, and if Dad is busy, then I'm safe.

I could just stay laying in bed, Mom might come in to wake me, see the evidence of my labors from the night before. _I stayed up too late to finish my work, my immune system is down_, I imagine myself saying. _She'll totally go for it,_ I think with a smirk.

I hear a strange sound then, one that wipes the smile clean off my face. It sounds like wind rushing through a tunnel, only briefly and then it's over. The bizarre thing is that it's coming from inside my room, not from outside where the storm is brewing.

I glance around, hearing next a low thud though nothing seems out of place... nothing.

I stand completely still, wishing I'd just gotten up and left my room to have breakfast, then I wouldn't be in here. I take one step towards my door, my heart in my throat. I swallow and it seems to echo throughout the silence.

And then I see something that is definitely out of place. A shadow on the floor, moving closer to me though there's nothing I'm able to see that could be the creator of the shadow. I retract my foot immediately, assuming a ghost, maybe a poe is at work... but then the shadow grows larger, like whatever it is is getting further away from the floor.

The shadow is in the shape of a hand. And it's racing towards me.

The next second I'm struck by something that constricts me as I fall to the floor, sharp talons ripping into my flesh. And then it's like a needle is shoved straight into my heart, and all of my energy is being sucked through the needle.

I gasp as the pain rocks my body, my eyes wide as I'm unable to breath and it's grip grows tighter on me.

I'm sorry I didn't do my homework, I'm sorry I wanted to stay home.

* * *

_**ZELDA ABIGAIL**_

I sit up in bed gasping. Something is wrong, I can feel it.

I run down the hallway to my parents room, throwing open the doors to find it empty, their bed unmade. "Mom? Dad?" I yell, wondering if they're on the balcony, in the bathroom.

Nothing.

I turn back the other way, the hallway dead silent. I rush towards Jack and Owen's rooms, the ones closest to me. They're empty too.

My heart starts to beat harder, the hallways strangely dark, the sky looming with a storm. Logan has been in Kakariko all week, so he can't be here. Evangeline and her husband... on the next floor up. I rush up the stairs, finding their room with papers littering the floor, the open balcony doors allowing the wind to toss the room. The doors are slamming against the walls violently, the wind cold and unforgiving.

But otherwise, the room is empty. No Evangeline.

Todd, I wonder if he's still asleep. I retrace my steps, back to our rooms when I bump into one of the maids looking particularly flustered.

"Have you seen my family?" I ask her.

"Your sister is in labor, she's having her baby," she says with wide eyes.

That must be where everyone is, though I wonder why no one sent for me, didn't tell me. My heart thumping erratically, I sprint to the hospital wing, bursting through the doors to find my sister in one of the beds, her face looking agonized. My Mom is beside her, my Dad standing and watching from a distance. I'd always envied Evangeline, she's beautiful and has all of the best traits of my parents... how I ended up with red hair is beyond me. Though, I can't say I exactly envy her now.

"Dad!" I call out to him.

"Abby!" he calls to me, looking relieved but all the more nervous.

"What's going on?" I ask him, wrapping my arms around his waist, because it's obvious that something else is happening other than Evangeline and her baby... or maybe there's something wrong with her baby.

He shakes his head, "Something's coming."

"Something? Like what?" I ask.

Jack and Owen burst through the doors then, looking disheveled, dirt on their faces, a cut on Jack's lip. Owen's arm is draped over Jack's shoulder like Jack is holding him up, and then I see that Owen is holding his other arm close to his chest. There's someone else with them too, a girl their age. She looks in wonder and complete fear as she follows close behind.

"Dad, I think Owen's arm is broken," Jack says.

"Why? What happened?" my dad asks, turning his attention to my older brothers.

The twins exchange a look before Jack turns back to him. "Dad... you're not going to believe this, but there was an iron knuckle in town today. We fought it off."

I can see the muscles in my dad's jaw tighten, like he was expecting it although, if I'm correct, iron knuckles haven't been seen since the days of Ganondorf. This is so strange, that weird feeling I had this morning, Evangeline going into labor, Owen and Jack fighting an iron knuckle... I have to say something. "Dad-"

I'm cut off though as Olivia pushes through the doors, Malon's son Matthew in tow. He isn't wearing one of his shoes, and his pant leg looks like it's been ripped off, revealing several deep gashes.

"Olivia?" Dad asks, eyeing her with worry.

"It's Matt, Dad. A deku baba got his leg. What was it doing there?" she asks desperately, her voice thick with tears.

"I don't know sweetheart, let's set him down and get someone to look at his leg," my dad says calmly. He's always had that, the ability to remain calm under desperate circumstances. It's something I wish I had.

"Dad-" I try again.

"Not now, Abby. Has anyone seen Logan?" he asks.

"He was supposed to be back this morning," Owen says from one of the benches as a nurse assesses his arm, that girl beside him.

"Dad, I have to-" I attempt over all the upset murmuring.

"Just a sec, Ab," he says, his eyes straying to one of the guards, "tell the town to head in doors, go into their cellars if they can. Make sure no one is out in the streets."

"Yes, your Majesty," the man replies, quickly heading out.

"Owen, you said Logan was supposed to be back by now?" Dad asks.

"Yeah, he told us he'd be back by first light," Jack answers for his twin.

"Captain, wait," Dad calls to the guard, "send a team to Kakariko to recover my son. Bring one of the nurses with you, he might be hurt."

"Of course, your Highness. Right away."

Evangeline lets out a cry of pain, and he glances right over me, moving as fast as he can, tucking his cane under his arm to be by her side. My mom is already there, holding my sisters hand, brushing the damp hair off her forehead. She's paying little attention to her other children, though I suppose Evangeline _is_ the one in the most extreme position.

But what about Logan? Where is he? My heart starts to beat faster and faster, my mouth turning dry at the thought of what could have happened to him. What if something found him, the iron knuckle that met up with Jack and Owen, or the deku baba that attacked Matthew? What if something worse got to him? Logan was always the big brother that I looked up to, he was the one that was always protecting me. Jack and Owen just liked to tease me, Todd and I would just get on each other's nerves because we were around each other so often... but Logan was always looking out for me.

Evangeline cries out again, having been in labor for a few hours now. The doctor is telling her something and she's nodding vigorously before her eyes squeeze shut. This must be it.

I wander over to the bed, my mom holding Ev's hand, her husband on the other side. My dad watches from a few steps back, his jaw set though his eyes flash between the other children, Owen with his broken arm, Jack getting his lip stitched up, and Olivia watching as Matthew gets his leg dressed.

"Dad, is Logan going to be alright?" I ask, watching his face show only a flicker of fear.

"I don't know sweety," is all he says. He's usually so quick to reassure me.

Evangeline cries out, my mom making soothing sounds. The whole situation makes me feel uncomfortable, slightly dizzy. I never want to have children, it looks like too much trouble. At least the heir to the throne doesn't rely on me.

The heavy wooden doors open again and somebody stumbles through though his eyes are down so I can't see his face. One of his hands still rests on the door, his other holding his stomach as blood spills over his fingers. He glances up, his hair damp with sweat and his eyes pained.

My heart halts for a brief moment, recognition seizing me. "Logan!" I yell, lunging towards him.

My dad must hear me because soon after I reach my brother, my dad is close behind. I hold onto Logan, his blood falling onto my hands and clothes. My dad comes to his other side, holding his arm around his neck. He helps him onto a nearby hospital bed and lays him down, Logan wincing in pain.

"Logan, what happened?" my dad asks.

He closes his eyes, coughing as a trickle of blood runs down the corner of his mouth.

"Logan, Logan listen to me. Look at me, son," my dad says louder, leaning over him and holding his shoulder tight.

His eyes flutter, opening slightly. "...Dad?" he asks weakly.

"I'm here, Logan. You have to tell me what happened," he says, his voice remaining in command.

He shakes his head back and forth, his voice turning into a soft whine that breaks my heart. I've never seen my brother so weak. "Dad..."

"What happened, son. Who did this to you?"

He coughs, a gentle sob pushing past his lips. "The... the moblins, dad. A... a whole – whole army. They were in Kakariko... is everyone safe?"

"I don't know. Logan... Logan listen to me, stay awake," my dad says, patting Logan's cheek gently until he opens his eyes again. "I sent some guards to Kakariko to come get you, did you find them?"

"No... I... I just came here..." he trails off. "Will they... will they make sure that everyone's..."

"Everyone is going to be fine. You did well, son," my dad says, turning to a nurse and motioning towards Logan.

I look down at my brother and realize that the image of him is blurry, that I have tears in my eyes. His blue eyes look slightly glazed over as the nurse presses white cloths to his stomach, trying to stop the bleeding in the worst of the wounds, his eyes open wide, a sharp inhale expressing the pain he's experiencing.

The scream of a baby interrupts my thoughts, makes the tears disappear from my eyes as I glance over to see the doctor tending to Evangeline with a baby in his arms, a little girl. My niece. A breath of a smile touches my lips, knowing that my whole family, despite the crazy circumstances, was here for her birth.

But wait.

There's only six of us here.

Oh no. Where's Todd?

I rush over to the bedside where my mother is crying, kissing my sister's forehead.

"Mom," I begin.

"Sweetheart, I'm so happy for you," she murmurs to Evangeline.

"Mom-" I attempt once more.

"Here, can she hold her?" she asks the doctor.

"Where's Todd?" I ask, just getting straight to the point.

The doctor nods, handing the baby, squirming inside a blanket, to Evangeline. "Oh, she's so beautiful, Ev," my mom murmurs.

"Thank you," Evangeline whispers, kissing her baby's forehead and then sharing a kiss with her husband.

"Is anybody listening to me?" I scream.

The room falls silent, everyone's eyes falling on me in a brief moment of shock.

I take a breath, finally capturing everyone's attention. "Where's Todd?"

Everyone glances around, like they're expecting to find him hiding in a corner somewhere. Knowing Todd, he's probably still sleeping... though I have a terrible feeling... I have a terrible feeling that something's happened.

My dad is suddenly running, and though he can't run like he used to, he's still fast. I have to still run hard to keep up behind him as he winds through the hallways. He finally comes in front of Todd's door right next to mine, taking a knife from his boot and gripping it tightly in his hand. I'm out of breath but he's barely making a sound as he twists the doorknob.

"Stay back," he murmurs so quietly to me before he pushes the door open.

I stay behind him but I peek into the room, finding the whole room torn apart, the bed unmade... and Todd isn't lying there. He's lying on the floor, face down, his arms by his sides.

I feel like screaming, running out towards him but my dad seems to sense my anxiety and holds an arm out to his side, keeping me from passing him. There's clatter as something falls to the ground, and over my dad's arm I can see something moving around by the curtains, though whatever it is isn't visible.

My dad lifts his knife and so quickly I hardly understand what he's doing, he throws the knife towards the commotion. An inhuman screech echoes throughout the room, whatever it was making itself apparent finally. Lying stunned in the corner of his room is a grotesque looking dismembered hand, big enough to wrap it's fingers around my brother.

I hold onto my dad's arm, "What is that?"

"A floormaster. These used to hide out in the temples... particularly the Shadow Temple," my dad informs me quickly, rushing to it's side to make sure that it's dead. I kneel by my brother, tears streaming down my face.

"Todd," I say, shaking him gently. "Oh Goddesses, is he dead?"

My dad kneels down beside me, turning him over onto his back. I gasp, clapping my hands over my mouth as I see his face, his eyes still open but empty, his skin void of any color.

"We have to get him to a doctor," my dad says urgently, lifting him into his arms.

And then we're running again, my brother's eyes still open like he'd seen something horrific before he was attacked, though his head lolls over my dad's arm unconsciously. I want to go and shut his eyes, it makes me feel uncomfortable.

Gasps fill the room as we enter with Todd. Everyone has a question on their lips, though the only one my dad has is: "Where's the doctor?"

My mom shakes her head. "He left to go get supplies," she says, collapsing by his side and holding Todd's head in her arms as she begins to cry. "Todd, honey..."

"Let go of him, Zelda," Dad says, gently pushing her away as he puts his hands on Todd's chest, ready to pump life back into him.

"Dad..." I say, sobs coming from my throat now as I watch his body convulse under the pressure my dad puts on him, though his eyes remain the same.

Someone's hands are on my arms then and I turn to find Logan, looking still fatigued but more concerned with his brother's well being, behind me. I rest my hand on top of his and let him rock me back and forth as we sit on the floor. Evangeline watches with her baby cradled in her arms though now her tears aren't of relief, they're pained and nervous for Todd. Owen and Jack stare on in shock, Jack covering his mouth as my dad tries to breath for Todd.

Olivia is crying softly in Matthew's arms, he's rubbing her back gently.

"Come on, son," my dad says, the only sound in a silent room. "Come on."

"Daddy," I cry, getting desperate for results.

"Shh," Logan whispers in my ear.

Something cracks in my dad then. He lifts his fist up and brings it down against Todd's chest hard. "Wake up, Todd!" he shouts, shocking all of us.

"Dad-" Logan begins, his voice thick.

"Come on!" Dad shouts, Olivia bursting into sobs.

"Link, stop," my mom cries, and I've never seen her so sad. Jack and Owen are crying now, I haven't seen either of them cry since they were just little boys.

"No. Todd, wake up," my dad says, his voice coarse as he brings his fist down even harder again.

"Stop it, Link!" my mom all but screams.

He stops for a moment then, glancing over at my mom as a single tear falls from his eye and lands on Todd's shirt.

"Stop it, honey," my mom murmurs, crying softly as she crawls over to my dad, taking his wrist and lowering it back into his lap. She wraps her arms around him, her hand on the back of his neck as she weeps, her body shaking.

My dad watches Todd laying there still, his eyes wide in shock. "He's not dead!" I cry out, Logan has to hold me tight against him to keep me from launching myself at my twin.

"Abby-" Logan says, "stop."

Owen puts his head in his hand, resting his elbow on his knee as he trembles, trying to conceal the pained cries. That girl that came in with them rests her head on his shoulder and wraps her arm around his back, kissing his shoulder and his neck. Normally I would have tried to make him feel uncomfortable because of what she's doing, but now I'm grateful that that girl is there for him.

I've never cried so uncontrollably, been so hurt by something. And now he's gone, my twin.

I uncurl Logan's fingers from around my arms and crawl over to him, kissing my fingertips before pulling Todd's eyelids down to cover his eyes.

"Goodnight," I whisper.


	22. Chapter 22

**First things first, if you are reading this and you haven't read part one of the alternate ending, STOP.**

**Second, I guess at least once in this story I should say that I don't own the Legend of Zelda series, but I do own: Evangeline, Lawrence, Terilyn, Annie, Logan, Owen, Jack, Olivia, Abigail, Todd, Cameron, Arianna, Matthew, Adelaide, Brielle, Skylar and all those other random people.**

**Thirdly, thank you to everyone that has stuck with this story, I know there are very few of you now. Thanks to everyone that's taken time to review because it makes me happy. Please review and let me know what you thought of the story as a whole. For those of you who liked this, I'm writing another fanfiction that I may or may not put up, depending on whether or not you guys seem interested. It's a MalonxLink story and it quite different from After Seven Years but I think if you liked this you should like it as well.**

**Welp, this is it. Bye for now.**

* * *

_**ZELDA**_

I gasp as I sit up, my sleep being wrenched away from me. The hospital wing is silent, though not everyone had been sleeping as I had been. Link had made us all stay in here, even the staff, and had locked the door, pushing a bed in front of it.

My eyes start to tear up as the events of the afternoon come back to me, only made worse by the silhouette of my boy underneath a white sheet on a bed pushed up against the far wall. I swallow but my throat feels swollen, my eyes itching. Evangeline and her husband sit with their baby, Evangeline looking exhausted and utterly defeated as her husband rubs her back.

Jack is sitting on the floor, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms crossed, resting on his knees. He stares at the ground, not moving. Owen and the girl he came in with, Arianna, sit on a bench as she rests her head on his shoulder, her fingers laced in his. He stares off into space, the placid expression on his face, haunting.

Matthew and Olivia sit by the window seat, Olivia asleep on his lap as he stares out the window, unconsciously tracing patterns on her shoulder with his fingers. He's probably hoping his mother and father are okay. I am too.

And Abigail... She lays curled up on a cot facing away from her twin, Logan sitting on the end of the bed just watching her, making sure she's okay. She hasn't spoken since her departing word to her brother, but I know she's still awake by the rigid set of her shoulders.

My husband sits, staring at his son as if willing him to come back to us. The sight tears me open, causes all of the feelings of guilt to creep up into my eyes. How did this happen to us? He's just seventeen... just seventeen.

Seventeen is how old I was when Ganondorf was defeated, when everything was right, when I fell in love with Link. (FUN FACT. ON OPEN OFFICE, THIS IS PAGE 117! TRUE STORY)

Seventeen is when he shouldn't have had a care in the world. Still too young to be thinking about his ultimate future, like a wife or a job, but old enough that he could feel the exhilaration of love, of rebelling, and making mistakes. I wonder if he was ever in love, I wonder if there's a girl in her home right now thinking about him. But these are things I'll never know. My soul aches to think that these things, he will never experience.

I wonder if I told him I loved him last night before he went to sleep, or if I was so caught up in trying to make him finish his homework that I looked over it.

I remember when Link was ripped from me, when he was dead to the world... I'd hoped I'd never have to go through that again. I don't know how, but this feels worse. Or perhaps, I've forgotten what it feels like to lose something that I love unconditionally, to feel such hurt.

This doesn't happen now. This isn't supposed to happen during peace time. I put my face in my hands and try to cry silently. I don't want the others to hear, to see me so weak because this is hard enough on them already.

I feel a hand on my cheek, and I lift my eyes to find Link looking at me with misty eyes. "He's safe now," Link whispers with a broken smile.

I lean forward into his arms, collapsing into a tired hug. He pets my hair as I let out silent tears, my throat aching as I remain quiet. I try to force the feeling away, to clear my throat, but every time I come even remotely close, I can't help but thinking, _my son is dead. My youngest boy is gone._

I glance up and through the window, finding the storm growing more violent outside. A flash of a memory comes back to me then, like deja vu, but I know that it's recent. A dream, I had a dream before I woke up.

I gasp, my body becoming rigid in Link's arms.

"Honey?" he barely manages to get out, his voice raw. He pushes me back slightly to look at my face. "What's wrong?"

"I... I had a vision," I say softly, still staring past him through the window.

"A vision...?" he coaxes.

"Like the one I had... back when I was ten."

The muscles in his jaw twitch, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "...And?"

I shake my head, my forehead crumpling as I pull my hand up to my trembling lips. I swallow once and say quiet enough just for him, "He's back."

"That's not possible," Link barely whispers.

"It's just like before... the dark cloud, the monsters suddenly appearing everywhere, in the town, the castle-" I say before choking on my words, swallowing the rest of my sentence.

"He was sealed away, _we_ sealed him away," he argues quietly.

"We underestimated the Triforce of Power," I say, shaking my head, thinking of my poor son that lays unmoving because we underestimated him.

He puts his head in his hands, frustration and anger and sorrow burning in him.

"So now what? Last time you saw me coming. What's in my place this time?" he asks, lowering his voice.

I swallow, trying to pick through the small facts. "A flood," I finally answer, "The Goddesses are going to cover Hyrule in water, and trap Ganondorf down here."

* * *

_**LINK**_

"I want to bury my son. Please... just let me."

"It's too dangerous."

I tuck a lose strand of her hair behind her ear, feeling tears touch my eyes. "I need to do this."

"I don't want to lose you today too..." Zelda says gently.

"We're all lost," I murmur, "some of us are just lost in a better place than others."

"Todd is in that better place, isn't he?" she asks like she needs my reassurance.

"Of course he is," I whisper.

"Don't go far," she says, kissing me softly.

"I won't. Don't worry, I know a nice spot for him to rest. It's not too far," I say, pulling her back in close to me.

"Hurry back."

"I will, and then we'll talk about what you saw today... all of us. Gather the sages if you can, we need their input," I say, letting go of her.

She nods as she watches me hesitantly leave her side to be by my son, still beneath the white sheet. I leave the sheet there, not wanting to have the image of his face, lacking the life it once held, to be so fresh in my memory. I want to remember his face after we'd argue but end up laughing. I want to remember his mischievous smile when his sisters got mad at him.

I lift him into my arms, his body cold and limp, and make my way through the door, the castle servants moving the things I'd placed in the way without being asked. I give them each a quiet thank you on my way out, and then it's just me and the body of my son, Todd Nohansen Hyrule.

I take him out through the winding garden paths, the wind relentless as I make my way to a familiar hill, and a familiar tree. This is the one that Zelda and I sat under on many occasions, where I asked her to marry me the first time, where I said my last goodbye before the war, where we reconciled our lost relationship.

This is a place of beginnings and endings. For now it represents the ending of a life that was cut short for him, but it's also marks the beginning of something far better, somewhere we can't even comprehend.

I rest him on the ground beneath the tree and take the shovel I'd strapped to my back in place of a sword off. I start to dig, and though it's grueling, my body unable to move in a fluid motion like it once could, I need this sort of physical pain, to ease my mind of the mental stress, release the numbness I've been harboring. I have to move quick, because I don't know what could be lurking in the shadows, what will show up next, but I have enough time.

As I lower him into a shallow grave, the sheet slips off his face, and though I'm afraid of what I might see, the image of him doesn't haunt me. He looks like he could be sleeping, his lips slightly parted like they'd been pushed apart as released his last breath. But he looks peaceful, and I can take comfort in that. I cover his face once more before I let him go, the wolves howling as I seal him away in the ground.

* * *

"So nothing can be done?" Logan asks once Zelda and I explain what she'd seen to everyone.

"Dad, you defeated him once before, can't you do it again?" Olivia asks, her eyes still puffy and red.

I shrug, feeling the deepest of resentment towards myself, "I'm not as strong as I once was."

"So what? They're just going to flood the whole country and hope that everyone survives except for him?" Jack asks, frustration entering his voice.

"I don't know, Jack," I say, my voice low, "I think what we have to focus on right now is getting everyone somewhere safe."

"Safe, like where? Up on top of Death Mountain?" Jack asks sarcastically.

I pause, looking at him with my brow furrowed. "That's not a bad idea."

Jack rolls his eyes, "Dad-"

"No... if there's going to be a flood coming, everyone needs to be as high up as possible. We need to alert everyone to get to high ground, the people in surrounding areas as well, in Outset and Falvale. Maybe even Termina," I say.

"This is coming fast, we need to act now," a voice says as Impa steps out from the shadows, having just arrived without us even knowing.

A look of relief splays on Zelda's face as she picks up her skirt. "Impa," she says, rushing towards her and wrapping her arms around her guardian. "Thank goodness you're here."

"I'm sorry we came so late, Princess. And I'm sorry for the passing of your son," Impa says in her authoritative voice, but it gives way to some compassion for the little girl she once watched out for.

Nabooru steps out from the same shadow then, standing with her hands on her hips, his face grim. Darunia follows, then Ruto and Rauru. And last... my best friend, her face still unchanged by the years.

Saria.

"We need to send word to all," Rauru says.

"I'll go back to my people... though I don't think that a flood will be much cause for concern with my kind," Ruto says, almost saucily despite the circumstances.

"I'll inform Kakariko and the gorons, Brother," Darunia says to Rauru. "The gorons will provide safe transport for the humans to the summit."

"I'll go back to my people as well. We'll make the journey to Ikana and take shelter there," Nabooru says.

"I shall inform the kokiri. The Great Deku Tree will be able to protect us. He's grown tall in these many years, he shall house us," Saria says, her blue eyes flickering to me.

"And I'll go to Falvale."

All of our heads turn to Jack, standing there with his head held high. Owen looks the most shocked, his head finally coming out of his hands.

I shake my head, "It's a long way, Jack."

"I have to make sure that Annie's okay. I have to," Jack says adamantly.

So my son _is_ in love with the Falvale princess... I'd always assumed so, but it hurts my heart a little to know that he's in love under such desperate times.

"Then I'll evacuate the town. Ari and I will," Owen says, standing up beside his twin. "We'll take them up to Death Mountain too."

"I'll head back to the ranch, make sure my parents and grandfather make it alright," Matthew says beside Olivia.

"I'll go too," Olivia chimes in, looking at Matthew with pure adoration. I wonder if that's how Zelda and I looked when we were younger, if you could literally feel the unconditional love they exude when they're with the other.

"I guess that just leaves me... to fight Ganondorf as best I can to give you all time," I say, standing up with confidence in the set of my shoulders, but quaking beneath the surface.

Zelda grabs my arm and when I look down at her, her eyebrows are pulled together in concern. "Link, no. He's far more powerful this time. I can feel it."

"The princess is right," Rauru adds, "you cannot defeat him like you did the last time... you would surely die. But we have another use for you, Hero of Time."

I lower my eyes, feeling defeated. "What is it?" I ask, my teeth gritted together.

"We want to send you back. Back to that day when you were ten years old and you left the forest. We want to send you back as a messenger so that we can execute Ganondorf before he has a chance to advance his power. We may be able to shift the future, we may be able to save everyone through you."

"Send me back?" I ask, taken aback by the idea.

"Using the Ocarina of Time," Impa says.

"And... will I be able to come back here after?" I ask.

Rauru and Impa exchange a look before he looks back at me. "This will most likely be a one way trip. The Temple of Time will be under water."

I swallow, knowing that I'll never see my kids again, that I'm taking back all of these years I've already lived. "I have to do it though..."

"The decision is entirely yours, Link," Rauru says.

"But there is a catch," Impa adds, "you will be the only one with a conscious memory of what has happened. The queen, King Hyrule, even myself... none of us will remember you."

I lower my eyes to the floor, feeling them sting. Zelda walks towards me then, wrapping her arms around my neck. More arms make their way around my waist then and I glance down to find Olivia. Jack and Owen join next. My eyes meet Logan's, filled with tears, his lips sealed in a tight line. He shakes his head once.

I reach out to him and pull him towards me, holding him tight. Evangeline with the help of her husband stands and nestles her head into a tangled net of arms.

"Dad, don't go," one of them says, and I look to see Abigail, still standing off on her own with tears rolling down her cheeks. "First Todd, now you?"

Everyone backs up a bit, their eyes filled to the brim as I take a step towards me daughter, folding her into my arms. "If you could change everything... save everyone that died... save Todd... would you?"

"Why does it have to be you though, Dad?" she asks, sobbing into my shoulder.

The pain in her voice makes my eyes prick with tears. "Because I'm the only one that can."

"I love you, Dad," she says gently, the weakness of her voice still present.

I glance up and find Zelda watching with a faint smile on her face as a tear falls from her chin. "I'll find a way back to you," I say to Abby though my eyes are on my wife. "I promise I'll find a way to get back to you."

"We have another problem on our hands though," Impa says, stepping forward with her arms crossed still. "Should Link go back and what he does there does_ not_ affect our future, we need a way to ensure the survival of the Triforce of Wisdom."

"Ensure the survival? What do you mean by that?" Zelda asks.

"There are risks with our plan, such as wasting time evacuating the citizens that you, the royal family, candidates to hold the piece of the sacred Triforce... don't make it out. Rauru and I were discussing options... and we think we have a solution."

"What is it?" Zelda asks.

Rauru takes the reigns, taking a deep breath before he speaks. "We seal you away for a hundred years until we're sure all of this is over."

"Seal... us away?" Zelda asks skeptically.

"At least one of you. You won't be aware of what's happening, almost like you're sleeping... kind of like when Link was sealed away for seven years, though you won't age as he did," Rauru explains to Zelda. "We weren't sure if it was possible, but we've found a way."

"And so whoever stays... will be safe no matter what," Zelda says softly.

"Absolutely. We discovered an ancient building that will be the doorway to the outside world once you wake. The Tower of The Gods," Impa adds.

"Ganondorf can't access the tower," Rauru assures us, "at least as far as we know."

"Then you should go, all of you," I say, watching their faces fall when they know I won't be coming with them.

"It's quite a journey to the tower... We have to leave now," Rauru says.

"I can't," Logan says, "I can't travel in this condition."

"I can't go either. I have to help the people in Falvale. Owen has to go to Kakariko..." Jack says.

"Matt and I have to go to the ranch," Olivia reminds us.

The sages all turn to Abby, standing quietly with grief stricken eyes. "...Me?"

"You seem like the prime candidate, Princess," Rauru says gently, "the future of the world may depend on it."

"Mom... will you come with me?" she asks.

Zelda covers her mouth with her fingers. "Honey... I need to lead our people now."

"Ev?" Abby asks, turning to her older sister.

Evangeline shakes her head, a tear falling from her eye, "I'm not strong enough."

"I'm not going alone," Abby says, her voice giving way to her distress, "I don't know what to do, I can't do this-"

"Abigail," I say calmly though it's enough to silence her. "You are braver than you believe, and stronger than you think. You're saving everyone here and everyone in Hyrule by doing this... you're defeating Ganondorf in a way that none of us can. But this is your choice, _you_ need to decide to do this. We can't make you."

"I'm scared, Dad," she whimpers.

I hold her against me and rest my cheek on her head, her soft red hair like silk on my skin. "We all are. But you have to trust us that you'll be safe."

"I don't worry about myself... But I'll never see you again... any of you," she cries gently.

"Some sacrifices are worth making. And this life isn't the end, we'll all see each other again eventually," I remind her. "And when that comes we'll be with Todd again too, and Grandma Brielle, and I'll get to meet my parents."

"Do you promise?" she asks me.

I smile down at her and nod. "I promise."

She nods at me too, her eyes wide and her chin quivering. She swallows and it takes a few moments before she says, "I'll do it."

"Are you sure?" I ask quietly.

"Everyone else has done something important today. Logan protected all of Kakariko, Evangeline had a baby, Owen and Jack are evacuating the towns, Olivia is going to the ranch. Mom has to lead everyone and you might change the course of time. This is the only thing I can do of worth... even if I don't know how," she says, her voice thick.

"You'll just know, it's in your blood," I say, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Princess... we should get moving," Impa says.

Logan brushes past me and bends slightly to hug her tight. She wraps her arms around his neck and he picks her up. Jack looks down at the floor and wipes his eyes, Owen wrapping one arm around the girl next to him, his bandaged arm cradled against his chest. Olivia holds her sister next, crying softly into her hair as she exchanges words of encouragement. The twins crack a joke to their sister one last time, making her laugh despite everything, and then she's in her mother and my arms.

"I'm so proud of you. I love you so much, never forget that," Zelda says quietly, her voice trembling as she folds something into Abby's hand, a necklace with a part of the golden triangle attached to it. "Keep this safe. Grandpa has the other part."

She nods, slipping it into a pocket and keeping her hand over the small bump it makes.

"I love you, kid," I say.

"I love you guys too," she says with a melancholic smile before turning to follow Impa.

"Abby, wait!" Evangeline calls from her bed.

Startled, Abby turns around to find her sister reaching out to her. She rushes to her bedside to hug her older sister one last time.

"Abby, you have to take her," Evangeline says, holding her daughter out for Abby.

"Ev, no. I can't," Abby says, shaking her head vigorously.

"I want her to be safe, I don't know if she will be if she stays with me. Please, protect her for me," Evangeline cries.

Abby takes the baby into her arms, looking overwhelmed as she stares at her sister in disbelief. Almost as if she doesn't know what else to say, she asks, "What will I call her?"

Evangeline looks at her husband and there's knowing in his eyes, like they'd made this decision as soon as they'd found out what was to happen to Hyrule. She looks back up at Abby and says, "Call her Tetra."

Abby nods, cradling the small child against her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. We want what's best for her, and I know you'll do your best to make sure that she's alright," Evangeline says with a soft laugh.

Abby sniffles as she lets out a laugh, "I'll hire six body guards if I have to."

Evangeline nods again, "I love you."

"Love you too," Abby says.

"Princess..." Impa says with minute impatience.

Abby turns back around with my first granddaughter, Tetra in her arms. She gives us each once last glance before following Impa out of the room, Zelda wrapping her arm around my waist and leaning her head on my shoulder as she watches her daughter go. We watch her from the window until we can't see her anymore, she and Impa riding on one of our fastest horses, Abby holding Tetra in the front. The image reminds me so much of seeing Zelda all those years ago escaping the castle.

"Link... are you ready?" Rauru asks reverently.

I swallow, nodding my head.

He holds the Ocarina of Time out to Zelda and she takes it in her hand, her fingers trembling. She wraps her arms around my neck once more, her chest quaking against mine. "I love you," she murmurs.

"I love you too," I say into her hair, pulling back and pressing my lips desperately to hers.

"What will you do... after Ganondorf is gone?" she asks, cupping my jaw in her empty hand.

I shrug, kissing every part of her face. "I guess I'll find Navi... she always knew what to do."

"Don't forget about me," Zelda pleads.

"Never," I say, finally willing myself to let go of her.

She nods, taking in a deep breath to steady her breathing before she brings the Ocarina to her lips, playing her lullaby gently. A crystal appears around me, her eyes following me as it carries me into the air and above the sky, the world disappearing around me.

Everything goes dark as I hear the first patter of rain.


	23. Announcement from Leave No Doubt

**Hey everybody! I just started a new Fan Fic called Memento! It's a MaLink story and I'd really love it if you guys would check it out! Thanks for subscribing to After Seven Years and I hope you enjoyed it and I hope that you appreciate this next one! I've loved all the feedback you guys gave me so I'd love it even more if you read my new one! Wow, all of my sentences have ended with exclamation marks!**

**Check out Memento if any of the following apply to you:**

**You've seen the movie Memento with Guy Pearce!**

**You love Star Wars!**

**You love Zelda!**

**You love the Lord of The Rings!**

**You love the Princess Bride!**

**You love me!**

**You loved After Seven Years!**

**You love Christmas!**

**You love reading!**

**You love a good love story!  
**

**If none of the above apply to you... not so sure I _want_ you reading.  
**


	24. Sawyer

I am uploading this message to all of my stories on this website in the hopes that it will reach a great number of you.

Tonight I found out that a boy I've known since childhood, died of drug overdose last night. Before any of you can begin to think that this is a ploy to get more readers or reviews or anything trivial like that, it's not. This is reality, and I have been sobbing for the past half-hour trying to come to terms with the fact that this is happening.

There was a point in my life where I was in love with this boy, where I could see myself marrying him. His family is very dear to me, his older brother and mine are best friends, I cheered with his younger sister, so though we grew apart and our lives changed, his family was still very dear to my heart.

In high school he started getting in with a different crowd than our group of friends from church, one that wasn't the best influence on him. It was still his own choice to do the things he did though, and those choices ultimately are what killed him. His family tried to get him into rehab, but this stubborn, rebellious boy I once idolized, wouldn't take it.

He was twenty years old. He was a great big brother. He loved his camera.

His name is Sawyer, and his sister found him after he'd been dead for twenty-four hours.

I beg you to not let drugs ruin the people we love, and ourselves. I don't care if you think nobody loves you and the only person you're hurting is yourself.

Don't give it a thought, don't hurt the people around you, don't hurt yourself.

Be safe.

Love you, Sawyer.


End file.
